Silver Scales
by CryingMarionette
Summary: Ryou stumbles upon something that most people believe exist only in myths and dreams, things aren't always how they are in fairy tales, but some things don't vary.
1. Chapter One

Hello fans new and old, I know I shouldn't be putting up a new fanfic, especially with how slow the other is developing, but I'm bad.

This I promise to update once a month, no sooner no later, every twelfth I will put up a new chapter ^_^

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yugioh and I get no profit from this, what-so-ever, which sucks because I'm poor.

Silver Scales

He can't hear them over his own panting and the leaves crushing under his feet, but he knows they are still behind him, like predators to prey, waiting for him to tire to corner him, so he runs. He's been running for so long now, his lungs burning and legs achy, but he continues though he doesn't even know where he is, lost in a sea of trees.

The boy stops for the first time since the chase began, before him is a cave, large and dark.

He contemplates the dangers of entering, his thoughts are cut short by a twig snapping, fear of wild animals or cave-ins are put in the back of his mind as the one of getting caught moves his legs.

The farther in the darker it gets, cold like stepping into a freezer and the air is old and hard to swallow, but the boy continues as if possessed.

"Ah!" he cries out in shock as the floor suddenly gives under him and he is all too suddenly in mid air, falling. A small groan leaves his lips when a crash landing quickly comes, his behind aching with the abuse of landing on unyielding rock.

Dust and debris is all about him, clinging onto pristine clothes and white locks, along with clouding the air and tainting his lungs as he breathes it in. After a small coughing fit he reaches up to clear his eyes, they burn, that's when he comes to a shocking realization, he can see.

Everything is drowned in a blue glow.

"Hello?" The voice thick with accent echoes off the stone walls, carrying far. "-Hello?-" Looking up at the dark hole he fell through the boy knows he isn't getting back up that way and the hall the opposite way is also black, so when there is no answer he stands to investigate, the light must be coming from somewhere, hopefully from someone.

The walls here are closer together, like a hallway, the teen muses as he walks forward, everything becoming more and more clear.

A gasp leaves his lips as he looks at the beauty to behold in wonder. Sticking from the inky, black walls are beautiful, glowing blue crystals in large clumps, it's like nothing he's seen before.

Apprehensively a pale hand reaches out to touch the source of his light, they are warm and smooth to the touch, like glass. He knows no one would believe him if he was to speak of this odd stone, though that kind of added to the wonder of it, this is just for him.

Reluctantly the boy begins to walk again, search for an exit, the blue crystals guiding him down the way, until slowly they become fewer and instead words are carved within the stone in a writing the teen doesn't understand.

"These... are ancient ruins?" Again his soft voice echoes loudly, as if he yelled.

He contemplates going back as it continues to grow darker, but there is no exit that way, he must continue forward.

A single random blue stone is a relief to the boy; he comes across them in his journey from time to time, when before they were in clumps of twenty or more lining the walls.

His hand rests on the wall as he walks, not to feel the denting of the words carved into them under his fingers, but to help him travel in his blindness. Soon the wall turns into air, though he doesn't need it.

Again the boy is lost in amazement as his sight is back allowing him to witness another marvel. The walls warp into a dome larger than any place he's seen before, single crystals laid about in an intricate pattern. The teen steps forward, every step bouncing off the halls hollowly, he twirls around to see it all but stops in mid twirl, something catches his interest.

Something large is in the corner, taking up the whole corner, the whole thing is one fourth of the size of the room, how did he miss it? He steps towards the thing, the lump is reflecting the blue lights, glowing, it is a dazzling silver.

"Ah!" The child trips over himself in shock as he tries to move away, the thing moved! He gasps in breath watching the thing closely, could he have been mistaken?

In a flash the thing disappears before his eyes, before a large weight is pressed on his chest, forcing him into the hard stone beneath him.

Chocolate eyes are wide with fear as an animal that would make a horse look like a small dog leans down towards him, rancid breath washing over him as the reptilian face comes close to his own, crimson, slitted eyes look down upon his shaken body that is being crushed under the heavy weight of the creatures claws.

"Eeh," the squeak leaves the child when the air is finally pressed out of his lungs, his hands reach up to the scaly fingers as big as his arm of the beast gripping desperately at them as he tries to get any air into his deprived body.

The beast has mercy on him, he skits across the room as he is tossed to the side, going into an immediate coughing fits when he finally comes to a slow stop. The jerking of his body makes him aware of the pain on his sides and chest; sharp claws easily ripped his school clothes and cut through his flesh, he is bleeding.

Injury is not the child's largest concern, eyes watch with terror as the large beast licks up spilt blood, his spilt blood, off the stone floor.

The struggle to get up was a mistake only for the fact that it gains the things attention, the child immediately freezes in fear, a dear in the headlights.

~_To be awoken by such a sniveling child, I would have never guessed.~ _A voice deep and smooth as silk ring's in his mind. ~_To wake a dragon from his sleep is bad luck though, sadly for you_~

The beast moves towards him with grace, light dancing over his silver scales as he moves.

The boy can't muster the courage to speak, let alone anything else, he just sits there awaiting the death he is sure to come.

~_How pathetic_~ With a whip of the dragon's tail the whole place shakes ~_For you to be my tamer is almost sickening, maybe I should kill you and wait for another?_~

"T-tamer?" The boy finally forces a word past trembling lips, crimson eyes narrow at the question.

~_My human counterpart, the one I feed from~ _Those words do not help ease the boy's tension in the least, it does just the opposite, the thought of being fed upon not a pleasant one.

"N-no." It's soft, but firm.

The child is ignored for a moment; now that the dragon stands right before him he seems to have another interest. Sickening cracks bounce off the walls as the beast grows smaller, his flesh twisting and tightening is such a way the boy has to look away is disgust.

"This form will do," It's the same voice that was in his head, and the child looks up to see not the form of a dragon, but one of a man, a very naked man. Wild, silver hair pours over the strong shoulders of the taller male, sharp features giving him a menacing look, but not like the eyes that haven't changed; still red slitted eyes. Other than a more scary, tougher appearance, the creature looks a lot like him, he looks away from the nude body his cheeks burning with blush. "As for being my tamer you no longer have a choice, we are already linked, you by stepping in my chamber and me by accepting and tasting your blood."

"N-no. Wh-wh-why?" The child is snapped out of his stupor by those words, though he still doesn't look in the other's direction.

"You are not my ideal, but I am tired of sleeping," The beast says simply.

When the boy is jerked up he lets out a pained hiss and covers his injured flesh, hoping to stifle the blood flow, the crimson oozes through his fingers. He tries to fight against it as the appendage is yanked away and his stomach twists in disgust as a too long tongue cleans the stained digits as if it were a favored treat. The dragon doesn't finish with him till he licks up every bit of blood he can from the boy, the child's wounds burn, itch, and then tingle as they close.

The teen stands stunned at what just happened, but the other isn't as comfortable with standing there in silence, grasping the human's wrist he starts to drag the child along the path that he entered.

"Wh-wh-"

"We are getting out of here," the creature answers before the other can get the question out.

"What d-do I call y-you?" The boy breaks the silence again after a few moments, the dragon steps dead from his fast pace.

"Ryou Bakura, that is your name?" The teen is stunned for a moment, eyes growing wide.

"Ho-how di-?, " Again the child struggles against the man, _he's in my head._

_ "_Yes, I can read your thoughts, how do you think I can speak this barbaric language?" The thing says nonchalantly, _"_that is beside the point, my name couldn't possibly spoken in this language, so I will borrow yours, call me Bakura."

Then Bakura is yanking the child forward again, Ryou following in a daze still wrapping his mind around the situation, he concludes this must be a dream.

Suddenly Ryou is pulled forward in front of the dragon, the humanoid beast hissing venomously as he pushes the child on, his chest to the smaller's back. The boy is quite uncomfortable with the bear body pressing up against him, but he has no choice in the matter. The whitenette discovers the other's discomfort is brought on by the clusters of beautiful, glowing crystals that he so admires.

The whitenette is shoved to the ground uncaringly when they are finally passed the obstacle; he takes a chance to look back at the other being. It is leaning against the wall letting out huffs of breath as if he exerted himself, silver scales gleam on his cheek, and a tail whips agitatedly behind him, Ryou takes this opportunity to run.

He scrambles to his feet and bolts, passing where he fell in through he continues into the dark halls beyond, when he can no longer see he just keeps moving blindly.

Short, short, short. Why are you extremely short? You must want to be like your creator, but I want you to grow big and strong~!

One day lets hope my chapters will grow longer.


	2. Chapter Two

I made it just in time! I want to respond to all my wonderful reviewers but I am running out of time... I will pay my respects next time and hope you enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: Own nothing.

Silver Scales

Running, that's how he got in this situation and that is what he is doing now trying to escape it. His footsteps echo off the narrow walls along with every pant for breath, though his lungs burn he doesn't stop, not even the darkness can slow him down.

"Ah!" He cries out in shock before he hits the floor with a whimper, something heavy settling on top of him.

"Damn human try to exploit my weakness, I will slit your throat and drink you dry!" The being hisses in his ear, pulling his head back by long locks. "Did you really thing you would get away?"

Ryou tries to pull his head away, but it only causes the grip on his hair to tighten further, the being pulling harder till he is left whining in affliction and pawing at that hand in desperation, tears trickling down his cheeks in fear and pain.

His hair being released is a small relief before he is turned over and straddled, I new kind of dread wraps around his quivering heart at this, eyes growing large, and whole body still and trembling.

"You've suddenly become obedient," the monster taunts darkly, "this is a familiar position for you, a very pretty human boy?"

"Pl-please. I'm s-s-sorry, please," the teens voice is nothing but a squeak in the darkness, though he cannot see the one on top of him he can feel the dragon's body heat through the school clothes he wears, the cloth seems extremely thin at the moment.

"Disgusting, all you humans," it growls, "I have no reason to mate with a human boy, you will bear me no offspring."

Ryou can't believe the other, not with his nude body holding him down like it is.

"Next time you run from me I'll rip that pretty face off, and then you won't have to fear being pinned down." With that Bakura gets up, dragging his tamer up as well by his upper arm. "We are almost there."

After finding and climbing many steps Ryou has to shield his eyes from blinding sunlight. They come out in a completely different place than he had originally entered and for a moment Ryou is worried he won't be able to find his way out of the woods.

"W-wait! You can't walk around like that!" Ryou goes into hysterics when the other starts to drag him again, going out in the open with no clothes on, his response is a chilling glare. "I-I can go get y-you some clothes."

Bakura takes a moment to weigh out his options, that's when his captive notices that the scales that were under his eyes and the tale that sprout out in the other's time of weakness was now gone. The taller male could pass for human if it wasn't for the muddy crimson eyes being slit like a cat's and the long fingernails sharpened into claws.

"I know where you live, do not take long." Ryou is still for a moment when he is released, as if he can't actually believe it, but the dragon walks back towards the ruins entrance and sits down Indian style with his back leaning on the cool stone, "standing there is not gonna cover me."

"R-right!" Applying basic survival skills, using the sun as a compass, he begins to jog in the way he entered the forest the opposite way of where the sun goes down.

It's not till the dragon is out of sight that the boy drops down hopelessly to his knees, his head buzzing with thoughts and worries. He doesn't want to take that thing to his home, doesn't want to be it's "tamer"; doesn't want anything to do with the beast! But it really seems that he doesn't have a choice, Bakura didn't seem like he was bluffing when he said he knows where the human lives, but what is gonna happen to him?

_I am waiting._ Ryou jolts out of his thoughts at that voice ringing in his head with irritation, stumbling back into a jog as if the faux human was just behind him, snapping at his ankles.

The woods seem odd, not like when he entered, the trees seem about the same (not that he really had a chance to notice earlier) it's the air that is different, it seems heavier, and he knows he did not run this far back before. It's almost as if… This isn't the same woods? He checks the sun again, this is the right way, and he has no choice but to continue on.

Hope is almost lost until he comes up to something peculiar, stone pillars in a row with familiar crystals in their bodies, glow unseen in the sunlight, and odd symbols sketched in the smooth surfaces.

He walks past them cautiously, as if fearing they would fall and squash him, and it is only chance that he looks back afterwards, but the pillars are gone, replaced with a single, large wall, made of hundreds of rocks. He softly places his hand over it, then skims it across the surface, soon he is pushing at it, it's completely solid.

_How do I get b-? Should I try to go back?_ Thinking back on the dragon's earlier problems with the gems he wonders if the other could pass without him, is he now home free? _It's not my fault if I can't return…_

When there is no response to his thoughts the boy continues his journey home, finally feeling at ease and walking like a civil human being.

"-I found him!-" Ryou freezes, why, just why, can't anything be simple? He just had an unbelievable encounter with a fucking _dragon_, why can't he just go home? "-Don't move feigner-!" Is this guy stupid? Of course the other starts to run, he finds out quickly that it's too late though; he screwed himself over when he paused before, now he's surrounded.

"Did you really think you would get away?" Ryou steps back as the leader steps forward, the large blonde much too big to still be in high school, no matter where you are. "It doesn't work that way."

"Please let me go," The smaller answers, glad that at least the one he is talking to speaks English, though it is the slaughtered American version, he can speak Japanese almost fluently but it is unpleasant using it, having to twist his tongue in ways uncomfortable to him. "I've done nothing wrong," his words are quite because he is afraid, but steady because he won't back down from a bully (though he surely will run from one if he has the chance).

Brown eyes widen in shock and fear as a meaty fist comes towards his face and though he tries to dodge it he isn't quick enough to do so fully, the sudden pain intense and the force strong enough to knock him on his behind.

A hand shoots up to sooth the aching flesh, a metallic tang on his tongue.

"Don't get smart with me!" Those words are emphasized with a brutal kick to the underclassmen's unprotected gut; a broken squeal like noise leaving the boy's split lips as the wind is forced out of him.

Some of the blonde's lackeys boast and cheer, the whitenette knows he could understand the gibberish if he tried, but it doesn't cross his mind to do so, wheezing on the ground for air.

"Because of you we are out on a lot of money and you are gonna pay us what you owe." The bully bends down to lift Ryou up by the collar of his shirt as he speaks, the stench of his breath making the British boy crinkle his nose in disgust.

"You were steali- Ah!" the boy cries out when he again lands on unrelenting Earth, the larger male dropping him.

"If you don't we-" It's the American's turn to be cut off, in a blur the hefty guy is on the ground.

"Keith!"

"Keith!" The lackey's call in shock before they notice the new comer, "-who the fuck are you?-"

"-Lay a another finger on the brat and I'll gut you-" The demon growls in response, eyes moving over all the figures, glaring and daring them all to make a move.

Ryou is almost grateful to see the dragon he thought he left behind, only because at the moment he isn't the one at the end of his aggression.

"Naked freak!" Keith stumbles to his feet and tries to tackle Bakura only to fail miserably, tripping over himself ungracefully when the beast side-steps the attack. A heavy foot is placed on the bully's back when he again tries to stand, "I'll fucking kill you!"

"What annoying squawking, do you think it makes me afraid?" It sounds rhetorical, but the faux human looks as if he is actually trying to get an answer from his grounded victim, the only response he gets is growls and grunts from the pinned bully, like a cornered animal. Bakura kicks him aside like a piece of garbage, "you are not worth my time, disappear."

"You'll regret this," and though that is said they do as ordered, quickly leaving.

A sense of relief washes over Ryou as he watches the retreating backs of the bullies, his body goes lax on the ground when moments ago it was so tense his spine could have just snapped.

"Don't relax yet," It's a growl and then that glare is set on the small teen, making him jolt, "I told you what would happen if you ran."

"I-I d-didn't!" He scoots back when the beast steps towards him.

"You were hoping that I couldn't get past the walls, you were gonna leave me," Bakura grabs Ryou's soft, white locks when he gets to the boy, yanking the child's head back so he is looking at the larger, "I hear everything going through that pathetic, little mind of yours."

"I-I-I couldn't ge-"

"I don't care for your excuses, strip."

"Wh-What?" Ryou's eyes go wide at the order.

"I am gonna take your clothes," For some reason this doesn't make the teen feel any better.

"Y-You can't!" Ryou covers his mouth as soon as the words are out, as if that could take back what he just said, afraid that he is gonna be abused more. "Please don't."

"The sun is gonna set soon, you better hurry or you'll be out here all night," Is Bakura's answer to his quiet plea.

The teen looks to the side in embarrassment and resignation when his hands go up to unbutton his uniform, a strong hold still in his snowy locks, he does this with more ease than he expected. Though he has an undershirt on he is not so lucky when taking off his pants, his underwear much more personal, it is quite cold with the newly exposed skin.

The beast releases the boy and starts to dress. Ryou just sits and watches in silent horror.

The clothes are much too tight on the dragon, his body is much more toned and he is taller than the student, in the end he rolls up the sleeves to the blazer and keeps the buttons undone, along with keeping the pants unfastened because there is no way to do them, the shoes are left because they couldn't possibly fit. He should look awkward or downright stupid in the too small clothes, but if Ryou wasn't too busy with dreadful thoughts he would be jealous at just how good the other looks.

"I'll think about coming back for you," A small, helpless 'eep' leaves the child's lips when the beast actually turns and walks away, a small part of him thought that he wouldn't actually leave the child out here half dressed and totally defenseless.

After a few minutes when the fact that he is trapped here finally sinks in the British boy berates himself for not taking boy scouts before he reminds himself that it is just some woods, woods that he has been in for at least a few hours now and obviously doesn't have any wild animals running about, unless you count dragons. Still it is fall and gets much colder at night, which is coming soon, he briefly wonders if he could find that cave again, but knows it's useless, he was randomly running when he found it the first time. All he can do is wait.

Tossing sticks at trees is how Ryou passes his time, making little scores in his head, the farther the tree the higher the score, but as the minutes go by it slowly gets darker, first making his game difficult and then impossible.

He knows it doesn't take this long to get to his home and back, must be a punishment.

When it is completely dark and the temperature has dropped a good amount he curls into himself and looks up at the stars through the branches. It's actually peaceful like this, almost pleasant if not for the cool breeze that washes over him and forces his already chilled body into fits of shivers, is this what camping is like? He vaguely remembers wanting to go camping as a child.

_Pretty_, he thinks while looking at the distant lights, eyelids drooping slightly.

"Ah!" The boy jolts out of his half sleep state when something lands on his face, reaching up and throwing it in fear.

"Even afraid of clothes, spineless brat." Ryou snaps his head towards the voice; the dragon sits there smugly with his back against a tree.

"I-I'm not!" the other defends himself childishly, getting up to grab the clothes he slung into the darkness somewhere. "I was just- you shocked me."

There is no response to his argument and no help in finding his clothes, there is something though, the uncomfortable feeling of eyes on his back as he kneels down to search for the clothes.

"Wh-"

"You are shaped like a female." The beast cuts his question off and makes him blush feeling violated and insulted.

"I-"

"Yes, you are a boy," Ryou actually growls in irritation at being cut off again, the nerve of this guy, it's driving him crazy! "Hurry up, I'm not going to wait."

Surprisingly that does speed up the younger's pace, for some reason he doesn't want to be left out here alone again. When finally finding the clothes he has to walk and dress at the same time because Bakura had already started walking and he doesn't want to be left behind, in the end his shirt is put on backwards and pants are dishevel.

Though it is late still many people are about, Ryou has moved to a bustling city, and as they walk he takes notice of the many stares the dragon gets, whispers fill the air as he passes, and he doesn't pay a bit of attention to it. It is obvious that the being is not like the human's surrounding him, he's ethereal.


	3. Chapter Three

Hello everyone, I was super sad that I didn't have time to respond to my lovely reviewers last time, so it's the first thing I shall do now.

**KrazynKuki**** – **I'm glad you think it's good, I update the twelfth of every month.

**Kiara victory Tatsu** – I really hope you liked the second chapter you were looking forward to.

**Darth Mudkip**– I'm very glad that you are a fan of both my stories and your story of attracting attention in public made my day! Your reviews make me happy anytime they come in ^_^

**Midnight Goddess1130** – I love naked Bakura, lol. I never forget my stories sometimes it just takes me time to finish them, this one I update the twelfth of every month.

**nearcreature – **I am glad you like it so far and will try my best to keep it going! I torture poor Ryou.

Thank you again all my wonderful, amazing fans! If I could I would give you all a cookie ^_^

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not the anime, not the characters, not anything.

Silver Scales

Luckily there is a spare key, one that the dragon obviously found earlier because there is no sign of forced entry, the original is in his backpack, the one Keith stole.

His home, apartment, is empty as it always is when he's not home, so housing a dragon really isn't too troublesome in the way of space, but what do dragons eat? What do they do for fun? All Ryou knows about dragons is myths he read and heard about, the beasts terrorize villagers and spit fire!

"Wait!" The boy's eyes go wide as if he just realized something, following Bakura into the apartment, "Do you breathe fire?"

"Don't believe all that you read," the other says without looking back, Ryou deflates, saw the dragon deform and shift into a human right before his eyes, he didn't think that the spitting fire was that farfetched.

"R-right," He places the key on the table and continues on into the kitchen distractedly, he is so very hungry, but his mind is all on his new house guest that disappears within the place like he owns it. This felt odd only because it didn't feel odd at all, shouldn't he be in his bedroom cowering with fear under the cruel hands of the mighty beast that forced its way into his home?

_Lovely image, but my time is too precious to waste on petty things such as you_, that voice, he would never get used to it, every time it echoes in his mind he feels closer to a headache.

He begrudgingly lets that case be and decides on making fried eggs on toast, simple. He collects all that is needed with all the grace of a dancer and the thought process of an ant; it's all mechanical, his hands knowing what to do without his mind needing to tell him.

Maybe they should sit down and talk? Make ground rules? That just seems silly though, the mere thought is laughable.

_"I made Mr. Scary Dragon a cup of tea and some biscuits while we discussed roommate agreements,"_ He imagines humorously telling his friend with a polite smile on his face.

The sudden pain was… well sudden, and Ryou finds his face held uncomfortably close to the hot pan cooking his food by the back of his neck, the pressure put on that body part bruising, his eyes go wide as saucers and his body goes tense in utter horror.

"You will tell no one about me, understand!" The boy is pushed a little farther forward to demonstrate a point, he yelps and tries to scramble back, but it's no use, heat licking at his face, "Understand?"

"Yes! Yes!" He cries out in panic, really he would agree to anything at the moment, the hot air burning his face and eyes, which he can't force to close, and nostrils stinging at the scorched smell as the white of the egg turns black, "Please yes!"

When he is finally released the panicked teen moves away so quick he falls back on his ass, the pain is none existent in his mind, far more worried about scooting away from Bakura in fear, tears spilling silently down his cheeks.

Why did he question the oddity before? He doesn't like this _thing_ near him! He doesn't like almost getting his face fried! He doesn't like being so afraid he can't even move! He doesn't like any of this!

When the burning stench turns into billows of black smoke the boy still doesn't move from his spot, eyes trained on the dragon, refusing to move from his spot until the other leaves, not even the screeching of the fire alarm makes him budge.

Bakura obviously likes this stunned silent part of Ryou because he smirks darkly down at the boy, his own bloody eyes boring into the smaller males, when he finally moves the boy flinches, making his smirk widen, but he doesn't say anything just walks out of the room so the child can deal with the lump of coal that used to be considered food.

The frightened teen gets up and rushes over to the stove, turning it off to prevent further damage, though he doesn't think it could get much worse. Moving the pan off the still hot burner he runs to turn off the fire alarm before the neighbors hear it. After having that done he collapses against the wall, he's so exhausted and now food has lost its appeal, for a moment he just sits there and begins to cry.

Minutes later when he has calmed the boy stands and trudges to his room, wiping the last of his tears off his cheeks; he opens the bedroom and stops dead in his tracks. The dragon looks as if he made himself quite comfy on the boy's bed. _My room…_

"You can sleep on the couch," Ryou doesn't open his mouth, too soon after almost getting his face cooked to think of protesting. After finally unpacking and setting it up how he liked it, of course he would get kicked out of his room.

The couch is a little small, but is comfy, he's too exhausting not to sleeps well that night.

The dreaded time is almost upon him, a time he knows he can't avoid Keith as he so skillfully has the rest of the day: lunch break. The whole day had been a miserable one, waking up late because his alarm clock is in his bedroom, making him tardy, getting scolded because his school uniform is a wrinkled mess thanks to Bakura throwing it carelessly to the floor, and having no homework because his backpack was stolen, not to mention all the stares he got for the dark, purplish bruise on his cheek, but this is absolutely gonna be the worst.

His eyes are glued to the clock and the one time he wants it to hesitate in it's movements it speeds by, minutes passing all too quickly.

The high pitched ringing jolts the boy, throwing him out of his intense concentration on willing time to stop and into a small state of panic. He hurriedly grabs his stuff and gets up, determined to stay within a crowd, hopefully that will save him.

Keith is already waiting outside the door, that fact makes a shiver go down the young, British boy's spine; he just keeps walking hoping that somehow he can just blend it, not a chance with stark white hair!

He notices that he is getting boxed in, but there really is nothing he can do about it, Keith is in front of him, the boy that goes by 'Ghost' on his right, and to his left another not so nice looking guy that he has no name for, only his back is free and with that knowledge he does an about and runs.

Where have all the people gone? Where are the teachers? Where are any witnesses?

He can hear their heavy footfalls on the tile and unmistakable Japanese curses, without thinking he slips into a classroom. He stops dead in shock when there is actually a person in the room, a kid with large glasses and odd blue hair (like he can talk), before running past the desks to the supply closet.

"-Pl-please don't tell them I'm here!-" He pleads before closing the door, not waiting for conformation.

For a long time it is quiet and Ryou gets hopeful, he might just make it, after lunch break he is untouchable until the final bell. He got excited too soon, the muffled sounds behind the door sounding dangerous, and then the beerier opening.

"Thought you were smart, didn't you?" Keith leers down at him, before grabbing a fist full of ivory hair and pulling the much smaller out of the closet. The dragging doesn't stop there, he is lead painfully by his hair out of the room, catching a glimpse of the smirking weasel that ratted him out on the way.

Ryou struggles but isn't released till they make it to the bathroom in the west wing and the petite teen knows why. The west wing is a part of the old building, there's no classes held here anymore and more importantly no teachers around to save him.

_I'm dead, _his eyes dart to the door, but it's blocked off, guarded, _I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead!_ But he stands up straight in front of his tormentor, body shaking slightly, but refusing to waver, what's the worst they can do? _Besides kill me?_

"Thought you could get your boyfriend to scare us off, huh?" _Boyfriend?_ The boy is confused. "I knew the rumors were true, you are a faggot, what a slut doing it in the wo-"

"I didn't!" Ryou pipes up, cheeks growing crimson at what the other is insinuating. The teen's retort is rewarded with a backhand landing on his already sore cheek, he hisses in pain, going to cover the throbbing bruise.

"Don't think I'm stupid, he didn't even have time to dress before we got there," _Shut up!_ He wants to snarl, to yell, but he doesn't. He can take the insults all day, they are only that. "I'm not into gays, but you almost look like a girl."

Chocolate eyes go wide, not liking how the bully is looking at him.

"B-but I'm a boy," he says quietly, maybe more to himself than to the other, as if knowing that fact will keep him safe.

"It doesn't matter if you're just sucking me, not with those looks," The lewd way the blonde's tongue moistens his lips makes the British boy's stomach turn and he tries to back away from the giant. When he moves back Keith moves forward and soon he is trapped against the wall, nowhere to go.

"Stay away!" Ryou lashes out like a cornered animal, but compared to the much too large senor his strength is nothing and he is pinned to the tile wall. "No! No, let go!"

"If you suck real good we might forgive you," Keith tells him before putting pressure on his shoulders, forcing him down on his knees.

"No!" He shakes his head wildly, it's all that he can do now, _Stop! No! Please, no!_

When he hears the zipper go down in front of him he freezes, all too sudden it becomes hard to breath, he's trapped and can't breathe!

Keith pulls himself out and then Ryou is looking straight at the engorged member, he turns away, squeezing his eyes shut tight, and only then does he notice the tears, when had he started crying? It doesn't matter, not at all, because now that _thing_ is pressing against his cheek.

The bully moves it, traces nonexistent shapes along his victims cheek to further humiliate him before trailing to the side of his mouth, pushing at it insistently.

"Open up." Ryou refuses, teeth clenched and lips firmly together, it's still hard to breathe, even harder through his nose, but he still refuses.

"-What a bitch-," Ghost chuckles from his position as a human wall before the door.

"-I hope I'm next-," the other lackey concurs.

_They're gonna take turns with me! _A muffled whine sounds at the back of his throat at that thought; he has to hold back the sobs, because he must keep his mouth closed. _I don't want this! I'm scared! Can't breathe!_

"Open your fucking mouth!" Keith tugs at his hair and then uses the soft strands to pull his face forward, the hot tip of the erection pressed at the front of his lips now, Ryou thinks he's going to die, but he rather die than do this, he doesn't want this!

_Bam!_ The door being kicked open is a surprise to everyone, the two lackeys at the door flying forward from the force of the blow they received from the wooden slab, gaining Keith's attention, and even making Ryou gasp, but quickly closes his mouth again.

"Disgusting moron, that is not how you mate," That voice is all too familiar and the teen on his knees is so relieved he could smile, that is till his hair is harshly yanked on again.

"Come any closer and I'll break your little boyfriend's pretty neck," The blonde threatens, _he wouldn't_, Ryou knows it's an empty threat. When Bakura steps forward and Ryou's head is snapped back by his hair, he is no longer sure it is a bluff. "Stay there," the helpless boy claws at the hand in his hair, it hurts and he's afraid, but it's completely useless.

The British teen doesn't see the dangerous flash across the dragons eyes, but he feels and yelps when strands of hair are pulled from his scalp along with the forcefully removed hand, and watches as his bully is crushed against the wall by the demon.

"Touch him again and I'll rip all your limbs off," Bakura growls before dropping the big brute that silently slides down to the ground.

Ryou is yanked up by his arm and pulled out of the bathroom, before they exit the boy hears the disbelieved whisper of Keith, "He's not human."

"B-Bakura, where are w-we going?" Ryou asks as he is pulled along the corridors of the school at a quick pace, the grip on his arm tight and unyielding; the dragon doesn't grace him with an answer. "W-wait!" He is ignored, "I can't leave sc-school!"

Bakura stops abruptly when his tamer starts to struggle, the hand on his arm moves to encircle his throat instead, the smaller freezes at the contact. Crimson eyes glare down at the trembling teen, one that he just saved and is now threatening.

"I am unconcerned with your ignorant activities, we are leaving." The other nods numbly.

The demon lets go and continues his unrelenting pace, allowing the child to follow unwillingly on his own. They only get a few steps before they are stopped though, their exit blocked off by a person.

"A-Atem?" Ryou questions curiously.

"-I knew I smelt condescending ass,-" Bakura growls out, his eyes practically glowing with hate directed at the newcomer, "-Though I shouldn't be surprised.-"

"-What a coincidence I would run into filth here,-" The other counters like silk.

_How does he know Yugi's brother?_ Ryou ponders while watching the odd exchange, not knowing what he should do in the situation.

"-As much as I wou- -"

"Atem!" A call breaks off whatever the dragon is gonna say, "Atem!" Bakura bursts out laughing when a short boy wonders up the hall and quickly makes his way to the male he was calling, hair in spikes like the taller boys.

"-That is your tamer?-" The demon asks between fits of glee, his own tamer looking at him as if he had gone mad (he's never seen the guy laugh before), while Atem glares and the shorter boy hides nervously behind him, "-I thought mine was pathetic, but this is really sad.-" The man's laughter bounces off the walls as if to bring further insult to the two.

"-Size doesn't always matter!-" Atem snaps back, losing his cool quite quickly.

"-I'm sure you know all about that,-" the dragon coos in retort, his fits of laughter dying down, but a smirk still on his lips. "-Now, if you don't mind getting out of my way? I didn't come here to fuss with you.-"

The other hesitates but after eying Ryou and discerning that he isn't lying, the man moves aside, Yugi on his heels. "-Don't come back here,-" he warns as the two albinos exit.


	4. Chapter Four

I'm a little early on this update because some personal issues have come up, also because of this I am really not too proud of this chapter, it really isn't how I want it to be… But my other chapters will make up for it!

**Kiara victory Tatsu – **Sadly I can't kill him off, not yet… if ever. I don't know yet. I'm sorry L But Bakura scared him shitless ^_^

**Midnight Goddess1130 – **I think we all won't to get a good hit on him! Stupid Keith, he's the perfect bad guy though.

**ilovemanicures – **If Bakura was nice he wouldn't be a villain in the series, lol, I hate when people make him all soft. I'm also not really into love at first sight and don't think I could write one, lol. Glad you like the story!

**FormerV - **I try to keep Bakura as in character as possible, while adding a little bit more pride (like he needs that) and changing his dialog a bit from his usually more crude way of speaking to one that fits into his dragon role. I love torturing Ryou, though I don't want him take it lying down, but not being overly brave either, I think anyone would wet themselves if really in that situation, lol. I agree, I hate Keith, but he was so perfect for the part.  
>"I made Mr. Scary Dragon a cup of tea and some biscuits while we discussed roommate agreements," I'm so glad you mentioned this! I felt a little conceited after writing this part, lol, I just found it absolutely perfect in showing Ryou is a normal, sarcastic teen, lol. Thank you for reading.<p>

**nearcreature – **Yeah, he thinks he's all that and a bag of chips, lol, do people say that anymore? I'm really glad you liked the chapter and hope you like this one, too!

Silver Scales

The air between the two has been completely silent since they got home and the dragon demanded food, Ryou looking at his 'dinner' from last night with disgust before cooking quietly.

Putting on the kettle to boil he goes to search his fridge, feeling hungry himself, but not knowing what exactly to cook, _what do dragon's eat?_ A part of him was expecting an answer, hoping for one, but it seems Bakura wants nothing to do with him. _Sandwiches it is._

Getting prepared the child suddenly changes his mind when he realizes he would have to fry bacon to make BLT sandwiches, that doesn't sound like a good idea. With memories of last night he doesn't think he could ever cook anything on the stove again, only putting the tea on from mere habit.

_I won't let him effect my life!_ That sounds ridiculous even in his mind, especially after sleeping on the couch last night and leaving school early because of the man; he pops the bacon in the microwave instead.

When it's all done and over he places down a plate before Bakura who was patiently sitting at the table, glaring at the slab of wood as if it had insulted him in some way, before taking the seat opposed to him with his own food.

"Soo… Atem is a dragon, too?" Ryou finally breaks the strained calm before shoving a chip in his mouth, large brown eyes peering up curiously.

"You would think that after a few thousand years the cuisine would better," Bakura growls in disgust, picking at the sandwich. "Atem, as you call him, is an overgrown lizard."

"How do-"

"Is my sitting here giving you the impression that I am looking for conversation?" The harsh tone is enough to make the imploring child flinch, "Because that isn't the case. If I choose to hear that whiney voice of yours I will tell you, until then it is best you keep quiet."

Ryou's heart sinks to his stomach at those harsh words, his fingers digging into his sandwich unintentionally, and the rest of the meal is eaten in silence. When the last bite is gone he dumps his plate in the sink, gives yesterdays "dinner" one last appalled look (it's starting to smell), and walks to his room to sleep, though the sun is still high in the sky. _The dragon can sleep on the couch tonight._

Bakura has another plan entirely though, leaving his dirty plate on the table he walks out of the door.

He starts walking not knowing where he is, not even his tamer's memories can help with that, but knowing where he is going to end up.

"-Is there a reason you beckoned me?-"

"My Japanese isn't very good, any other language?" A blonde steps out of the shadows in this run down, rotten neighborhood, where the stench is strong and noise above irritating.

"English is good. I find it both intriguing and suspicious that you called me out."

"Yet you still came? Speaks a lot of your personality." The blonde is cocky, violet eyes glowing with mirth. The two take things in stride, their strained civil talk hardly hiding the hostility hidden beneath.

"Maybe I came to kill you, what does that say about my personality?" It is silent for a moment, even the streets not dare make a noise when the tension rises around the two great beasts.

"You old men are all set in your violent ways, but if you had wanted to kill me you would have done so by now." The tanned male finally breaks the quiet, "or maybe you are waiting till I tell you what you want to know."

"A smart whelp like you knows I can't just let you walk away, it's our survival instincts, hell will raise before a child takes a scarce mate before I find me one anew," It's not a threat nor a promise, just a fact, the way of the dragon.

"I hardly stand in your way of finding a mate, but I can understand your urges, I just suggest you hold the bloodshed for a while," this is getting tiring, a fire flaring in Bakura's chest that he is forced to keep calm, have this too drawn out conversation that is more a battle of words, intentionally they are irking each other.

"I will humor you, why?" A single white brow raises, "what good could possibly come from keeping you alive?"

"Ah," the blonde almost sounds giddy at the chance to speak of what was his original topic, "You must have noticed it; the other ones so very near: the Amethyst and the half breed White?"

Bakura just gives a curt nod, he had already ran into the Amethyst "Atem" and is no stranger to the dragon, the white he had smelt early on though, half breeds have the most distinct smell, a strong one at that.

"That is why you're here, such an unusual event so many dragons so close to each other," the blonde is dancing around the subject, savoring the fact that he holds something over his senior, it grates the Silver's nerves, but he listens patiently, "makes it easier to notice if one goes missing."

"If you don't get to the point than I will kill you right now," Bakura growls.

"Touchy," the younger taunts, "the fact is that there is a treaty in this city, we don't slaughter each other so we all have a good warning bells when the hunters come."

"Hunters?" Bakura nearly chuckles, "if you fear those bunch of morons than it will be easier to dispose of you than I thought."

"I highly doubt it." The other tells him, "The hunters have become much more threatening since they have completed the binding spell."

There is no need for explaining that, what he is talking about is common knowledge; if the hunters can complete the spell they can finally kill a dragon. The thought leaves a sour feeling in Bakura's stomach.

"I want my space."

"Of course, they call me Marik, if you need anything seek me out." With that he walks away, he has got his message through so there is no longer any reason to hang around, dragons have never been sociable creatures.

The way "home" is much quicker than the trip out here, though it probably has to do with the fact that he now knows the way and feels there is no chance of threat in that little apartment, with that little human.

When entering the room the dragon thinks of tossing the child off the bed and taking his place, but a small nagging in the back of his mind stops him. The albino is tossing in his sleep, small whines leaving pale lips, flashes of his nightmares are at the forefront of Bakura's vision.

Back in the day boys were not so delicate and pretty, everything about this boy screams feminine, from those long, luscious locks to his small feet, it is no wonder he is attacked so often.

Thinking back on earlier he wasn't all too sure what to expect, it was not what he ran into definitely, that overgrown monkey trying to shove his organ into his own tamer's mouth, but he can't help but think that Ryou was cute like that, broken and afraid, fear seemed to bring the most out of the boy, though it doesn't matter, even if the child was female he wouldn't mate with it, he doesn't want some halfling brat.

Pushing Ryou over he lies down beside the boy, bed comfortable enough for two, he glares at the child for no real reason at all, and when he falls asleep his last thought is that disgustedly he is growing soft.

Again, kinda disappointed with this.

Sorry.


	5. Chapter Five

I've been so busy that I never really previewed my work on the website, my work looks totally different! I kept on making small paragraphs because I didn't want my stories to look too clustered, like it does on my Microsoft word, but on the site it looks too spread out! For now on bigger paragraphs! Yay! I might even go back later and fix my old chapters when I have time and fix the dividers that didn't show up, that must have caused some confusion.

To my great, amazing, wonderful, phenomenal, and sensational reviewers!

**FormerV**** – **Thank you, I'm glad you didn't think it was terrible. You are right the whole going soft thing is a bit overdone and cliché, but it kinda fit there, anyways I believe Bakura is someone who would admit his flaws and know his weaknesses so he could squash them as soon as they arise!

**fan girl 666**** – **I'm glad you liked it so far and can't wait for more reviews.

**Midnight Goddess1130**** – **You get to find out in this exciting chapter of Drago- I mean Silver Scales, lol.

**ilovemanicures**** – **I'm glad you thought more of it than I did, sorry for the length, sadly I didn't do too much better pertaining to that in this chapter either, but I have to upload because if I don't set a schedule and stick to it then I'll put it off. Yay for new characters! Don't think we are gonna have that again for a few chapters.

**Darth Mudkip**** – **It's ok, you have other things to do than boost my ego, lol. I see you've been working on your own stories, sadly I haven't got to read most of them, been real busy. I'm glad you like it, I think most writers are a bit more critical of their work and I just felt like I could have just done so much more with it, but I didn't. I hope you like this chapter!

**nearcreature**** – **You really never heard that term? Wow, I used to hear it everywhere, maybe I'm getting old, lol. Yes, he's only getting a very little soft, and this chapter proves that he can still be a big jerk even though.

Silver Scales

The boy's shifting in the night had woken Bakura up repeatedly and he was not allowing the child to further disturb his sleep by fumbling about so early in the morning. He stops his movements quite efficiently with a firm grip on his arm.

Ryou cries out in alarm when he is grabbed, but stills, becoming tense with fear. The boy's heart hammers in his chest as he tries to remember the night before, he surely doesn't think he went to sleep with someone, it's not something he usually does, it takes all his will to look over at the one holding onto his arm, he doesn't know if he should be relieved or even more terrified that it's the dragon lying beside him.

"B-Bakura please let m-me go," he pleads quietly when the other makes no movement to release him on his own, there is no response, "I-I'm late, pl-please let me go." He doesn't mention that the reason he is late is because an alarm clock as smashed up as his is couldn't possibly make sound to wake him, wonder how that happened.

"Go back to sleep," the imposter growls, giving a rough tug on the boy's arm to emphasis his command.

"Pl-please! I c-can't!" Ryou yanks at his captured arm, it's a mistake because he is pulled over and then the dragon is on top of him. The albino is completely still as red eyes glare at him, then those eyes are closed and a head falls heavily on his chest. The action was actually… cute, Ryou has to hold back a giggle as he compares the dragon to a stubborn child who doesn't want to wake up for school, though it's the tamer that needs to attend classes. When a last ditch effort is rewarded with another warning growl and sharp claws in his side he relaxes under the beast, letting himself reluctantly drift back into slumber land, the weight on him only stifling his breathing a little bit.

* * *

><p>The knock was an unexpectant thing, in the two weeks he has moved in he has had no visitor, and really today is the only day he doesn't want one, he goes to answer the door anyway. Tri-colored spikes is what he meets when the door is opened, Ryou has to look down to come face-to-face with his short acquaintance's child like face.<p>

"`-Y-Yugi, what are you doing here?-" He had spoken to the boy before, on a number of occasions, he is the only one who doesn't shun him over baseless rumors, but he had never given his classmate the address to his home.

"-I volunteered to drop off your homework,-" as the smaller teen says this he doesn't look up at the albino's face, but his eyes roam over the taller's body as if checking for injury, "-I wanted to make sure you were ok.-" When he is satisfied with his classmate state of heath he beams up at him.

"-Oh. Oh! Do you want to come in?-" Ryou asks, forgetting his manners in his shock, "-I-I mean, th-thank you!-" The British boy's face turns crimson with embarrassment, it had been so long sense he had entertained a guest that he forgotten giggles at his trying too hard attitude and Ryou can't help but to chime in, this guy soothes him.

"-Thank you,-" Yugi hands the skipper his homework before walking inside, Ryou places the papers on the table. "-Umm… Ryou, there is actually something else… I think… umm… we should talk.-"

It is at this time that the albino notices that his small buddy is alone, his "older brother" for the first time not in sight.

"-Is it about the dragons?-" Ryou whispers, for some reason he believes that will make the conversation private, hell he almost spells dragons as if that would do the trick! Yugi looks around the kitchen nervously at that, "-let's sit down.-"

When they actually do sit the room is shrouded in an awkward silence, Ryou offers tea, but is put down. The subject is so fascinating, but has an air of taboo around it and both teens are a little uncomfortable but eager to speak about it.

"-Can you block him out?-" Yugi suddenly asks, those large purple orbs intently on the other, it is quite obvious who "him" is.

"-Block him out?-" Ryou has the expression similar to Jounouchi's when looking at a complicated algebra question.

"-You can't then,-" the small boy seems disappointed, "-that means that he knows what's going on, where is he right now?-"

"-Out.-" If Ryou could give any more information he would, but that is all the dragon told him, and after trying to avoid the beast all day the albino didn't question it.

"-I'll be quick than,-" never has he seen Yugi so serious, "-If he ever does anything to you than come find me, we will protect you.-"

"-What do-"

"-He's a monster, Atem told me all about him, he's cruel and manipulative,-" For once that baby face doesn't look so babyish, the worry bringing age to him, "-The spell isn't co-"

"-Isn't complete?-" That smooth voice makes both of the boy's jolt, eyes going to meet the dragon in the doorway, he is so skilled they never even heard the door open, "-Do you think that makes it easier for my little tamer to run away?-"

There is no answer, the room is solid with fear and uncertainty.

"Gone for just a few hours and already you are scheming behind my back?" Bakura saunters over to Ryou's chair, deadly nails raking through the boy's hair just too calmly.

"I wa-"

"Shut up!" He growls, gentle hands turning rough and grabbing harshly at white locks, making his tamer hiss in pain and claw at the offending hand, a strong jerk subdues him. "-And you…-" He glares over at Yugi who has still yet to do anything, "-Tell your "Atem" to stay out of my business, he should be well aware that I don't like it when people touch my things.-"

Ryou isn't too comfortable with being called a thing, but there is little to nothing he can do about it.

"-I-I think I should leave now,-" Yugi stands.

"-I'm so- ah!-" with another jerk at his hair quiets the boy.

"-Good idea,-" Dragon and teen glare at each other till the door separates them, Ryou sitting in his own forced silence.

The chair screeches in protest as it is pulled back then Bakura's face is in Ryou's, so close the other's hot breath washes over the trembling boy's lips, head tilted a bit by the hand still tangled in his snowy locks. It is nearly like looking in the mirror, that face so similar to his own, but Ryou associates this to their first meeting, the memory of that large, reptilian profile so close to him still fresh in his mind, with the same burning eyes.

"You continue to disobey me, do you not believe I will keep my word?" the words are quite sudden and knock the child right off of memory lane, he squirms when the beast's free hand cups his right cheek, the small struggle is not appreciated, a sharp claw digging into yielding flesh a sign to that.

"Ah- I-I didn't!" The nail still deep within the tissue of his soft cheek suddenly yanks down, the albino just hardly holds back a scream, swearing he can hear the flesh ripping as he is drowned in the misery of it. "Pl-pl- ah- Stop!"

The dimming of those blazing eyes is the only warning he gets before his chair is flying back and him off of it. The sound of wood hitting tile is heard before he falls to the hard ground himself with a small thump and a groan, his whole side hurting with the forceful contact. That pain is nothing, not compared to the sheer torment of nails ripping through cloth and flesh alike and this time he does scream, scream so loud that the whole neighborhood would hear if it wasn't for the firm hand squashing his lips and muffling those distressed cries.

_Please! Please! Please!_ It's not a constant plea to the dragon, but one to any being or will that is willing answer it, to some entity that will show pity to him before he is completely torn apart. His call goes unanswered (1). Every second that passes is an hour of agony, his flesh being shredded easily under the beast's ministrations as if he were nothing but paper in the grasp of scissors. It's not like that for long though, soon no individual cut is recognized, his body is just a pile of hurt, throbbing with his pattering heartbeat.

When the torture stops the boy is nothing but a pathetic mound on the floor, chest rising and falling with wheezy breaths and eyes looking deathly at the ceiling, tear stains trailing down his blood splattered cheeks. Still something doesn't sit right with Bakura, crimson ribbons across alabaster flesh too poetic, and it only fuels the dragon's rage. He takes a final slash at the boy's too pretty face, leaving behind three perfect claw marks crossing the earlier cut, it sates him slightly.

A frightened sob escapes trembling pink lips when a hand stained with the boy's own blood smoothes over his cheek and brushes hair from his face, leaving a trail of gore behind. Ryou's fight or flight system rears up, but there is nowhere to run and the teen doesn't dare move his hands with the damage they received when trying to defend himself, he can do nothing but lie there and cower.

"Lucky for you if I truly rip your face apart it will cause problems," the hand slides from his cheek past his throat, which suffered no damage because that is too dangerous, to the pale chest that was not so lucky, long lacerations decorate the flesh so deep that if there wasn't so much blood one might be able to see bone. Ryou's breaths turn into painful huffs as his deep wounds are traced, new tears spilling, then the dragon's hand is soaked in the warm liquid that pooled on the child's slightly encaved stomach, "though don't think you can escape punishment. Betray me, talk about it, even think about it and I will shroud your pathetic, little world in pain."

Bakura toys with the red pond for just a second more before bringing his fingers to his lips, his tongue sneaking out to taste the ruby treat before sticking the digits in his mouth and sucking them clean, Ryou whimpers at the scene and clenches his eyes shut.

_Hurts! Didn't_ _do anything wrong! Scared. Didn't deserve this! Didn't do anything! Hurts! Leave me alone! Leave me alone! Leave. I didn't deserve this! Leave! _The boy's mind is a jumbled mess of self pity and wishes. The frightened cries in the hysteric mind are answered, not from any kindness on Bakura's part, but because he needs the child alive, he leaves the tamer there to think over his actions.

* * *

><p>You are gonna think this is silly, but I literally spent ten minutes deciding between "His call goes unanswered" and "Noone answers his call", seemed super important to me at the time, lol, as if it changed the whole story. Did I pick the right one?<p>

This was another short chapter but I needed this because it's a little bit of a mood change that the story has to make for it to continue.


	6. Chapter Six

It's finally that day, update day, this last chapter was truly one of my most challenging ones, this is my punishment for torturing poor Ryou so badly :(

To my absolutely amazing reviewers:

**FormerV – **You're so sweet for saying that, but sometimes I think I make Bakura a little melodramatic, lol. My gore works are a bit sloppy so I tried to go for more poetic sorrow, closing in on Ryou's helpless feelings rather than the whole bloody scene, glad you liked it. Fluff and angst all in one chapter, it works surprisingly well, lol.

**Darth Mudkip – **I like writing, but I love reading! I am the biggest fan of angst, horror, and supernatural, if you couldn't tell, lol, and when I saw your name pop up when I went through the screening of course I had to read! I just wish I had more time to read. I know I am creating a lot of questions and no answers, but that's gonna change soon, very soon. If you have time I always look forward to my ego boosting sessions, lol.

**ilovemanicures – **Yeah Yugi has a knack for unintentionally screwing Ryou over, it's his main role in most Bakura/Ryou stories, lol. You are a genius! I never thought about his hair, that would have made it so much better, I'm glad you put that picture in my head, it made me smile :). I'm glad you liked the chapter and think I chose the right line, it really drove me crazy, lol.

**Midnight Goddess1130 – **I've been wanting to watch Princess Tutu for a while now because I heard it was good, I want to watch it so much more now because I googled Myutho and he is absolutely adorable! I feel bad because I want to be mean to him, I am a horrible person. Haha, Yami Marik and Miguel both have hair that defies logic. I also feel sorry for Ryou, I am like a second grader that bullies the one she has a crush on, I just find Ryou too cute to be nice too, lol.

**randomismyname13 – **I'm glad you liked the chapter and really glad you agreed with my decision on which sentence to use, those things sometimes really bother me, lol.

Silver Scales

Bakura is shocked to see that his tamer isn't where he left him last night, maybe he isn't as pathetic as he thought, but a crimson trail leads the dragon directly to the boy's little sanctuary, beyond the locked door of the bathroom. He humors the child by knocking, there is no answer, in fact it is extremely quiet on the other side. The beast breaks the lock simply; though as soon as the door is open an inch he is met with another resistance, a whimper reaching his sensitive ears.

The child whines and cries as his abused body is pushed across the tile by the door, he is in a blurry state that is between sleep and awake.

The teen is really a sad sight, curled into a small ball with the whole ground and himself covered in sticky, brownish maroon that was once a vibrant crimson and looking forward in a dazed manner. After slitted eyes run over the boy they go to the tub, modern technology has it's uses. The dragon turns both knobs uncaringly, pulling the stopper to keep the water in.

Ryou flops weakly on his back when he is pushed, whimpers when the scraps of his shirt are ripped away, jarring his injuries, and mumbles unintelligent pleas when his pants and boxers are pulled off. He doesn't look at the one who is stripping him, but beyond the dragon, his eyes glazed over and glassy. Maybe it's that pathetic expression, that helplessness, that makes him more gentle than he originally intended when picking the smaller one up and placing him in the still filling bath. The teen moans in discomfort at the too hot water, but he just doesn't have any energy to move or the strength to truly care.

Bakura starts with the child's left hand; he rubs the dry blood off with his thumbs, the cuts (varying between deep and shallow) closed up well, a shame. Pulling the flesh taunt on either side he ruthlessly tears open the scabs.

"Ah!" Ryou tries to jerk away from the grip on his wrist at the sudden pain, before again growing lucid. Small whines resound around the bathroom as his wounds burn and tingle in a familiar way, but one he cannot place.

Bakura enjoys every drop of the metallic juice, sufficiently covering the hand with his saliva so the wounds fully heal. He turns the water off and continues to brutally rip open the wounds one by one up the boy's wrist and arm, then the other arm, and the cuts on his face, by the time he's finished with that Ryou had slipped off into a world of slumber, the pain too much accompanied with the lack of sleep, and blood loss.

The beast only planned to heal the visible cuts, but his tamer's midnight stroll to the bathroom made the blood loss much more than he had imagined, the boy is too weak to keep the injuries. The wounds on that pale chest are much deeper than on the rest of his body, some still lazily trickling blood.

He growls in annoyance when the tight denim pants that he had borrowed from his host (a bit large for the petite boy) grows tighter and clings onto him as he enters the tub with Ryou, straddling him.

Grabbing a wash cloth off the side of the tub he starts to scrub off the blood none-to-gently. Pink rivulets roll down into the deep ridges of torn flesh and into the water the boy rests in, tainting it.

Brown eyes flutter open and a pathetic mewl leaves pale lips as scabs rip open under Bakura's brutality, but his eyelids are too heavy to keep open, leaving himself defenseless to the abuse.

There is a splash as the washcloth is suddenly dropped in the water and abandoned, the dragon leaning closer to lick at the boy's wounds as if addicted, his tongue roaming over ruined flesh.

"Mn- no," Ryou mumbles in his sleep, face scrunching up, black and silver flashes at the forefront of Bakura's mind and then the boy is fighting, struggling more than when he was awake. It isn't Bakura that Ryou is fighting though, not really, his tamer is having another nightmare, the child seems prone to them.

The dragon can tolerate the mortals little twists and soft pushes but when those petite hands fist in his hair he has had enough, he grabs two pale wrists and slams them into the wall behind the boy none-too-gently, the child arches up and lets out a cry, instantly awake.

"Pl-please," Not even Ryou knows what he's pleading for, his mind still fuzzy from his interrupted sleep and the rest of his common sense clouded by his fear, he doesn't even realize the compromising position is in, no all he can concentrate on is the pain, a faint voice in the back of his mind wondering if his wrists are broken.

"Stop your pathetic whimpering," Bakura growls before releasing the teen's trapped wrists, they fall to the water lifelessly. The teen is relieved of the pressure but the pain still lingers, like splinters in every centimeter of free flesh digging into his wrist. "Pathetic human."

Bakura exits the bath, large streams falling off his soaked clothes and making puddles on the tile floor, he doesn't seem to care nor does he care if he drenches the rest of the house for he doesn't grab a towel to dry himself, he just leaves, the door slammed behind him.

Ryou doesn't move from his spot though, he sits in the steaming water but it does nothing to relieve his tense muscles as he inspects the damage done to him. There is already discoloration to his wrists, they will bruise, but that is tolerable because many of the wounds that he suffered from yesterday are nothing but a pink tint to the bath water now.

Why hurt him just to heal him the next day? Living with the dragon is starting to feel like living in a plot-hole ridden mystery story, all questions and no answers, and the main antagonist a woman with constant PMS that can read minds and has mood swings from hell. Unintentionally Ryou backs up that thought by fretfully waiting for the door to burst open and to be attacked again, only relaxing after a few moments of nothing happening.

Ryou wants nothing more to sink deeper into the water, but he fears that if he relaxes for even a second he will fall asleep and drown, so instead he forces himself out of the tub, pulling the tab for it to drain before he stands.

The air hit's his wet, naked body lik- Naked! A moan of distress leaves his lips, but he forces it to the back of his mind because he is cold, tired, and stepping in something sticky. He feels his heart sink into his stomach when he finds what that sticky substance is, and then his stomach twists, the whole floor is covered in old blood, his old blood, a sickening brownish color. There's something unsettling about seeing something that flows through your body splattered across the room and it makes Ryou sick, his knees making a painful clack as they meet the tile floor before he empties his stomach in the toilet.

_I'm gonna die. _He lays his heavy head on the toilet seat, too weak to care if it's sanitary or not. _Noone can lose this much blood and live. _A sad laugh leaves his lips at the thought, forcing it into some sick joke because he didn't want to cry. He just keeps laughing till it sounds as if he had gone mad and maybe he had a long time ago because dragons don't exist and blood loss is much more serious than this, laughing and laughing and laughing until the light fades into darkness and he finds some peace in sleep.

* * *

><p>It is hours later when the boy wakes only because he can no longer stand the cold that sunk to his bones, not like the cold from the other night, no, that chill was like the icy grip of death itself, but now it is just unpleasant to the point that his flesh has risen with bumps and he cannot keep his teeth from chattering. Standing is a little less than hell but he forces himself on wobbly feet because even though his whole body aches and his stomach gurgles with discontent of being empty all Ryou can think of is a warm place to curl up and reenter his dreams.<p>

Sluggishly he makes his way into the hall his mind still fuzzy with sleep however that doesn't affect his judgment too much, because instead of turning towards his room where danger could lurk he makes his way to the living room where he all but falls onto the couch. There is no blanket so he curls into himself and instead covers himself with one of the cushions, it of course doesn't fit to his body and leaves plenty of room for cool air to leak in, but it is warmer than before.

There will be no going to school tomorrow either.

* * *

><p>It is late in the afternoon before Ryou budges and that is only because he is forced by Bakura who demands food. The teen all but jumps up to do what he's told, only then does he remember he is lacking in clothes. He freezes at the realization, the dragon's eyes seeming much more intense on him.<p>

"I'm waiting," Bakura growls after a moment of silence and Ryou's cheeks turn red as he finally covers himself with his hands and silently exits the room full of shame. The teen locks the door behind him when he gets in his room, it doesn't make him feel any more secure, he will probably never feel safe again. He knew all along but it's as if it finally hit him that the creature waiting in his living room is a monster, one he can't hide from, the thought makes him want to just break down, yet he's too scared, if he makes the dragon wait too long it might come after him.

Grabbing a shirt from the dresser and some pants from the floor (he only wore them once and only has so many) he rushes out of the room as if he is being timed and evaluated for the upcoming Olympics.

These past few days have been utter hell on him, fuck, before the dragon showed up his life wasn't something to envy so it is utterly ridiculous that this, _this,_ is what finally makes him break down. The fridge is practically empty. The teen's weak knees buckle under him and before he realizes his cheeks are already soaked by tears, small gasp like sobs whooshing from his lips. He sits there crying before the open fridge the light, rudely bright compared to the rest of the room, illuminating his hunched form.

His mental crumbling doesn't have anything to do with his new found need to please the dragon, for have mercy on his frail self if he doesn't, right now his mind can't even comprehend that fear, it's just the straw that broke the camel's back. His mind had endured too much in a small amount of time and he took it considerably well, so now all that stress has come back with a vengeance.

"You're making me sick," the beast's verbal abuse is hardly heard over the teens small wails, but even then it is not comprehended. A yelp leaves the abused boy's lips when his head is yanked up by his hair, that doesn't snap him out of his little world of agony though, and the dragon must have known a lost cause when he saw one because he left the boy alone as well as left the apartment, probably to seek his food elsewhere.

As much as Ryou believes there to be no end to his tears, eventually they dry out, and it leaves him with a numbness deep in his gut, it's the best thing to happen to him in days, that emptiness. He cherishes and used it to his advantage to do things he formally had problems doing, like cleaning up dried blood from his bathroom floor.

* * *

><p>Next chapter... Answers!<p> 


	7. Chapter Seven

I'm so very sorry that I had not updated on my scheduled time, I had recently lost someone and had lost my desire to type for a while, but I can't leave you guys hanging. I plan to get back to updating once a month, but I cannot set a specific date, hope you can forgive me.

To my ever supportive reviewers:

**KrazynKuki** – Did I go somewhere? Well even if I did I couldn't be gone for too long, lol, glad you're so excited to see me though.

**Midnight Fantasia Goddess**** – **Princess TuTu is definitely on my list, sadly though I have a lot more to watch till I get to it. I like angst because in it I see people's sorrows and how they strive to get through, their inner strength, though sometimes it takes the main character time to get there. Sorry my update is late.

**FormerV**** – **Sometimes I feel my writing can be too pretty, like it's impossible for me to express the level of gore or brutality happening sometimes, but I'm glad you liked it I had a tough time with it, lol. I also feel sorry for Ryou, though I'm the one torturing him so, often I stop and wonder why I'm doing this to him… I'm an evil person. Sorry it took so long to update when you were phyched.

**ilovemanicures**– My cousin argued that I couldn't compare Bakura to a woman suffering PMS, but he acts how he acts! I'm glad you liked that line, I wanted to show how Ryou has some feistiness by picturing the situation that way. Bakura is so new to the thought process of helping I'm shocked he didn't accidently kill Ryou "healing" him, lol. I'm glad you liked the chapter and sorry for the long wait.

**Nearcreature** – Yes, Bakura is cruel and despicable and, and , and EVIL! But not as evil as I, because I write it this way, I'm sorry Ryou. I'm glad you liked the chapter.

**Darth Mudkip** – Yay, ego boosting! I'm really glad you liked the chapter and well I'm much later than you, sorry about that. I will try to follow your demand!

**A.R **– I am also glad that you clicked on my story, I am always excited to hear that someone likes my story, especially if it isn't usually what they look for. I really try to keep it as realistic as possible aside from the whole dragon thing and contract stuff, lol. I'm really happy you like the way I write and I'm sorry for the long wait for this chapter.

**WolfyMcClowd**** – **I think it's awesome that you think my story is awesome ^^

** – **Thank you, I'm glad you like it, I'm really trying to just keep everyone in character, but it's really hard. Sorry for the long wait of the update.

Silver Scales

"Ryou!" The teen quickens his pace, pretending he hadn't heard the one calling him. "Ryou!" _Please, go away! Go away!_ The boy's heart is thundering in his chest and he is seconds away from bolting, but a firm grip on his shoulder stops him, it is not the one previously calling him though.

"-H-hello Atem.-"

"-Ryou! Didn't you hear me calling you?-" Yugi huffs when he finally catches up to the two taller males.

"-I'm sorry Yugi, I must have been in my own little world-," _I can't talk to you! Go away!_ The, surprisingly, very awake dragon this morning warned him it would be best to stay away from "that pompous lizard's tamer", something the teen doesn't want to defy. "-I have prior engagements for lunch, sadly, can we talk another time?-"

"-This is much more important-," the obvious demand in Atem's voice makes Ryou's heart stutter in his throat, _is this dragon just as willing to rip me apart?_

"-R-right-," the teen feels he has no choice but to obey, as unwilling as he is.

"-Atem, you're scaring him-," the short boy scolds his dragon with large eyes set in the best glare they can muster before softening when he looks to his classmate, "-don't worry, I just thought you might want some answers, first though lets go somewhere more private.-" If it was anyone else that had asked to go somewhere private he would have been more fretful, but with Yugi it's innocent, even though it could be Ryou's death later.

When the little teen said private he meant it, they walk across the whole school to a little field that no one is at and even that is not good enough, Yugi leading them to the edge of the property behind a tree. There Atem keeps watch while his tamer insist that his company sits beside him. It is silent for a bit while Yugi struggles with his bookbag, then out of it he pulls out a book so large that it had took up all the room of that pretty large bag, the poor hollowed sack deflates on the ground and is forgotten.

Being large is not the only thing that stands out from the book, the first thing that Ryou notices is that glowing Chrystal in the middle of the peeling leather that is the cover, he instantly recognizes it from the cave and has the strongest urge to touch it just to make sure this isn't something he's imagining, but before he can it is flipped open. The pages are yellow and crumbled with obvious age but the mysterious character's within are still as black as a moonless night.

"-It's hard to find where to begin, I never had to explain it to anyone before, if I even had tried they would have thought I'm insane-," Yugi gives a little laugh, his first sign of nervousness now that he has Ryou's undivided attention all on him.

"-Yeah, you can't really tell anyone you have a dragon stalking you-," his taller friend assures with his own small chuckle, the air is filled with unease.

There is a silence while Yugi gathers himself before he gives a curt nod, to himself more than anyone.

"-This book was passed down to me from my father who had it passed down to him from his father and so forth for many generation leading back to our ancestors who were dragon warriors-," though it is hard to catch onto with Yugi being so modest, there is a bit of pride in his voice as he speaks of his bloodline, "-Unlike you I have also entered a contract willingly with Atem-"

Ryou just gives a small nod to that knew knowledge, though he doesn't fully understand, he just wants the smaller teen to say what he must so he can leave.

"-Though there is a way to forcefully break the contract, this book doesn't tell us how, the only other way is for the dragon to reject you, that is unlikely because it will come with a consequence to himself-" Yugi sounds regretful, "-but there is a protection spell-"

Ryou is finally interested, " -That will protect me from him?-"

"-Physically, if the spell works he won't be able to come within a few feet of you, but it's not a simple spell and if by any chance the binding spell is complete it will become useless.-"

"-W-will he complete the spell?-" The taller teen talks more to the ground than his friend now, all this talk about spells and contracts he would have found humorous in any other situation, but now he clings to each word as if they would be his last.

"-Even if he could he wouldn't want to,-" Yugi begins to explain, but Ryou doesn't look at him even as he speaks, "-Right now you are the only one truly losing, the contract was made to keep control of the dragons because humans feared them, but the sorcerer that had created it didn't get to finish it before he was stabbed in the back-"

"-Stabbed in the back?-"

"-In a literal sense, it was a mistake of my ancestors who thought neither humans or dragons should be in control, though my people were too late and what had been done could not be taken back.-" The story is told as if the small teen had been there to see it for himself and regretted it just as much as his ancestors had. "-With the spell half complete the dragons will have to steal their energy from a host which they can easily force and take advantage of, though if it is complete the dragon and you will be a part of each other's soul, he will feel what you feel as you will feel what he feels and if you or him dies then you both die.-"

"-Th-this isn't f-fair-," it comes out as a despaired whisper, Ryou's breath half catching in his throat, " -he's g-gonna drink me d-dry and th-then l-leave-" the teen is almost hysteric, so panic stricken at that he doesn't hear what Yugi is saying, it all sounds like the blahs spoken by a Charlie Brown adult.

"-Ryou! Ryou, listen to me!-"

"He's in my head. He knows what we are talking about, knows I am talking to you," The poor child is so deep in his own misery he doesn't notice he is speaking in his native tongue and that his acquaintance can't understand him. "He's gonna kill me this time."

"-Ryou, what do you mean 'drink you dry?' What is he doing to you?-" Yugi continues to shake him by his shoulders.

"-M-my blood,-" The shaken boy responds after a moment, "-isn't that how they do it, by blood?-"

Yugi's face is one of utter shock and confusion before his eyebrows crinkle in worry and his eyes soften into a piteous stare. "-Th-they're not vampires, Ryou,-" he tells the other, grip tightening on his shoulders. "-I'm s-sorry for what he's done, b-but that isn't-" It is now the smaller boy that is speaking more to the ground, not knowing how to break the news to the other teen.

The school bell rings in the distance and it is blatantly ignored, school is such a small thing now. A small useless matter to the subject at hand.

Before Ryou can further question the more petite host the dragon steps forward.

"-We feed off your life force,-" Atem explains his voice not totally indifferent but not with the care Yugi was trying to use, "-Every minute of the contract is a minute of your life.-"

Yugi flinches at his dragon's carelessness, but doesn't speak up against it because Ryou needed to know and he would never be able to tell his classmate by himself. Ryou himself just sits there, trying to absorb the knowledge handed to him, but it won't sink in. It's as if he has his finger tips in the water though he can't register that they are wet.

"-We can hope that when he has become strong enough that he will move on to a stronger host, until then it is best if we do the protection spell, but to do that we need something of the dragon's.-" The small dragon tamer speaks to Ryou quietly, hesitantly, as if the other was a small animal that would very easily bolt as any given second. "-Blood or hair, anything will do; he is in human form so he should function as such.-"

The albino nods though he isn't really listening, his mind still on Atem's words and soon he is getting up to dismiss himself, he is grabbed before he can make his escape though, Yugi clinging onto his wrist tightly.

"-One last thing: don't act suspicious, there are dragon hunters and if they find you they will complete the spell and ultimately kill you,-" The boy is gravely serious, "-Dragons are nearly indestructible, so they will not bat an eye at your demise, they will only see it as a necessary sacrifice.-"

That isn't the last thing though, the last thing that Yugi says hits Ryou hard, because it is true and the white-haired-teen might be acting just a bit too cold, yet he can't make himself act another way in this situation.

"-I'm sorry, I just.. wanted to help-"

* * *

><p>Ryou looks at the board but it is just a blur and as much as his teacher is speaking he just can't find the will to try translating it to his language, it's just a bunch a jumbled syllables, the bell will ring soon though, then he will get up and move to the next class in his distracted way only to repeat the process. Already two classes have passed and if the way hadn't been imprinted in his body just as much as imprinted in his mind he would be lost, because his mind is miles away.<p>

It's so bad he doesn't even realize when the final bell has rung and he is walking off of school grounds, he is brutally brought back to himself when he just happens to catch a streak of silver through the crowd though, the jerk-back so sudden he is trembling. He stops in his tracks, students continue to push past him as if he isn't there, and he wished more than the world that he wasn't.

_~Come on, host.~_ That voice in his head confirms his fear and the only thing Ryou can think of is the Dragon's rage, because he broke a rule, he spoke to Yugi, and he thought about escaping. _~Your stalling is only harming yourself.~_

He turns and he runs, fighting against the onslaught of peers is like swimming against the current, but he has to get away. Dodging, ducking, squeezing; he forces his way through the crowd with amazing speed, nothing but the sound of his own hectic heartbeat in his ears and blurs of color in his eyes.

The teen was so far out of it that it was only a matter of time before he tried to cross the wrong person when he does though he isn't expecting for blue eyes to be staring down at him with mirroring fear, though that fear is directed at him. Keith stands over him, so fretful that when Ryou tries to stand the large male stumbles back and trips over his own feet. For a moment there the two are in complete reverse of how they have originally been with the smaller teen looming over the horrified bully, it makes him ill, and though he isn't in any way wrong he apologizes before he again bolts, because the giant just looked too pathetic.

This situation is sickenly familiar, the feeling of being hunted as prey, the anxiety that any second he will be caught. His legs tire and his lungs scream for deprived oxygen, but he keeps running, winding down unknown roads, trying to escape someone that's in his mind.

_~Inane human, do you think you can get away?~ _The dragon taunts, and it makes his head throb, ~_You are weak.~_ He stops just a moment, bringing his hands up to cover his ears as if that will stop the voice or the pain that comes with it, ~_You will regret running.~_

The boy yelps and struggles when arms wrap around him from behind, tears spilling down his cheeks as he degrades himself for even thinking of running.

"Shh," A voice that doesn't belong to Bakura whispers in his ear and with no knowledge of who this man is Ryou is still relieved, growing slack in the strangers arms though he cannot stop his trembling or the relentless tears. "What a pretty, little tamer; the silver is lucky."

Ryou doesn't really hear what the man is saying over his own pants for air and he doesn't care, all that matters is getting oxygen into his deprived lungs, though every breath comes out in a quiet sob, he didn't know how desperate to breathe he was, how light headed he had become, he was too bent on escaping to notice that the world had grown fuzzy around him. The teen is just starting to gain his senses, worrying over his new predicament when something more terrorizing than that shows itself.

The boy goes from his slumped form to fighting like a beast in his captors arms when Bakura turns the corner, all calm and sophisticated as if he wasn't even partaking in this chase, Ryou understands why wolfs would chew off their own legs for freedom.

"You must be going too hard on him," The gold dragon taunts, Bakura oddly finds it sickening, the way he is holding his thrashing host, "he's frightened half to death."

"I don't think it's any of your business what I do to my host," The other dragon hisses, not liking the situation he has been put in.

"I wasn't criticizing, in fact, I think it's cute," Marik continues and there is something unnatural about the way he sniffs the humans hair, it is apparent attraction that the dragon is showing, but to mate a human is one thing but to mate someone of the same sex is counterproductive and though he shouldn't care it makes his stomach sour. It's as if Marik doesn't even notice Ryou's desperate struggles as he nuzzles the panicked teen. "I could punish him for you."

Bakura is just about to object when his tamer interrupts.

"Pl-please. Please. Please." He cries out like a mantra in-between his huffs for air when his body is much too weak to struggle any longer and even his pleas are growing quieter by the second, "please. Pl-please." He begs until he can't anymore, his body shutting down on him, he faints.

"Poor thing," One of Marik's hands leave the boy's torso to cup his wet, pale cheek, the growl leaves Bakura's lips before he can stop it; the gold dragon seems to have a way with getting under his skin. "If you let me keep him for the night I promise I won't kill him, you can even keep my tamer for insurance."

"I don't know how you lizards do things around here, but I can handle my own tamer," Bakura objects.

"Pity," For a moment there the Silver beast thinks that he is getting off that simply, but he is alert to the way those pristine nails of the other male lengthen and take on an edge as that tanned hand goes from tenderly cupping Ryou's face to firmly gripping his throat, "Though in this position I don't think you have much room to argue, if you truly refuse I could easily just kill him."


	8. Chapter Eight

I'm late! I'm late! For such an important date! Why am I always late?

To my absolutely astonishing and graciously patient reviewers:

**randomismyname13** - Yeah, I feel bad for him, even though I'm the one doing this to him; I must be crazy.

**ilovemanicures**– I'm really glad you liked it, I had a real problem with this chapter, and the Charlie Brown line was all I could think of when describing the situation, lol. Thanks again for the PM.

**Darth Mudkip**– Thank you for your condolences and you never have to worry about me leaving, I might not be seen for a while but I don't think I could ever just abandon my stories or my wonderful fans ^_^. We get to see what happens with Marik this chapter..

**nearcreature**– I'm glad you are liking it so far and I can continue to please. I always put Ryou in bad predicaments.

**SelfcreatedCharacter**– So many questions that I wish I could answer! You just have to wait, because even if I want to spoil I don't know half of it myself.. that's bad isn't it? It'll work out. I'm really glad you like my ideas and that you liked the Bakura naked bit, that's a personal favorite of mine, lol.

**my account won't let me log in** – Got to tell you, I'm digging the name, lol. I hope your account stops being a d-bag though and lets you back in, I would be super sad if I couldn't get in mine. Thank you for my favorite compliment, original, nothing makes me feel better than hearing that and I also like fresh. I'll try to make Bakura slow his roll soon.

**Midnight Fantasia Goddess**** – **Thank you for the condolences, it is hard, but all we can do is keep on moving forward I suppose. I'm sorry about your throat infection, hope it feels better now, it has been a while. I'm glad you liked my last chapter, I was a bit iffy on it.

**FormerV**– Thank you for your comfort and it is now easier to bear, if just a bit. Really I wasn't sure getting the information out through Yugi was the best idea because was a lot of dialog, but I couldn't think up a better way, so I'm glad it worked out. I was going to make the vampire thing into a mood lightener, by Yugi kinda laughing and thinking Ryou was silly.. that was just awkward. It is Yami Marik, I call the Hikari Malik, but a lot of people call them different things so I understand the confusion. I try to get Marik in there as much as possible, because I like Bakura/Ryou the most, but Marik/Ryou comes in close second, I plan on writing a story with them as main couple after I finish the two I'm working on. Glad you like that line ^_^

– Thank you for your condolences, it makes me so happy so many people think about me and yay to registering! Yeah I kinda made Yugi meddlesome, but atleast he got us some more inside information.. It was the best way I could think of to get the info, lol. Marik will.. Well we'll just have to wait and see. Happy, very late, New Years to you too, lol.

**CatlinP1997**– Good observation with the Seto thing, now I'm scared you'll find out all my other secrets, lol. I'm glad you think it's interesting and though I'm not perfect with grammar I do try my best, I'm glad you like the speed rate too, sometimes I worry about it. Here is the more you demanded ^_^

Silver Scales

"_If you truly refuse I could easily just kill him."_

A warning growl slips from Bakura's lips before he can even think about it, but he doesn't make any other move, he knows that before he could even get in reach of the other dragon that his tamer would be dead. After just having woke up a few days ago the man is not willing to go back for another thousand years of sleep, and he might have to sacrifice his pride to make sure it doesn't happen.

"But, that's not how we do things around here," Ryou is pushed forward without a care in the world, not stirring a bit from his stress-induced slumber and it's only by instinct that his beast rushes forward to catch him or the child would have got intimate with the cement. Marik then has the gall to laugh and though Bakura doesn't know what's so humorous he does know how he wants to quite the obnoxious laugh, by ripping the other's throat out. "You old men are all the same, this world isn't like the world you are used to, so why don't you live a little?"

There is no answer as Bakura throws his tamer over his shoulder and turns to walk away.

"If you change your mind you know how to find me," Marik calls after him.

The beast makes his way inside the apartment, glad to be away from the prying eyes of those nosey humans, he tosses his host down on the couch the body bounces slightly before settling like the dead. Bakura isn't gonna have this. He strides with graceful anger into the kitchen and grabbing a large pot he turns on the tap to fill it with cold water. He goes back and dumps it on Ryou.

The child jolts up with a gasp of shock in response to the sudden wet cold. He wishes with all his might that he was still sleeping or anywhere but where he is, with the dragon looming over him.

"I-I'm sorry," Ryou tries to further the distance between him and Bakura by scooting farther up the couch, the beast follows his retreating form though and he doesn't look in the forgiving mood. "I'm sorry."

"Did you honestly think you could get away?" Bakura questions calmly, too calmly, and it is more unnerving than the child's own fears. "Did you?"

"N-No." It is neither the truth nor a lie, he didn't really think of much in that situation, just run. It is the same thought being screamed into his mind right now, his legs itching to move, but he manages to sit still.

"Then why did you do it?" It must have been rhetorical because with a short pause the beast continues to talk, " Was the other night not enough warning? Or.. do you like the pain?"

"I-I don't!" Ryou cries back much more loudly then attendant and then goes back to being deathly silent, as if his sudden outburst was finally going to start the pain he had fretfully been anticipating, yet Bakura still stands quite placidly, his piercing eyes the only true sign of his anger.

A second goes by filled with only the pale teens silent pants, before the tight line of the dragon's lips upturn at one of the corners, he slowly slinks down as if not to frighten the skittish child, resting on the balls of his feet with his legs bent.

"You don't have to lie to me," the beast almost coos and it makes his tamer's stomach twist, that hand slyly coming to pet at his hair making the condition worse, before it balls painfully in the white strands, "If it's pain you want than I will give it to you."

Ryou yelps and twists in the other's grasp as he is literally pulled off the couch from his hair, the pressure so intense it feels as if his scalp is being ripped off, but Bakura continues to drag him despite the pathetic struggles and protests the boy makes. The dragon continues this for a full minute, pulling the squirming and crying around with no real destination, leaving a trail of lost, white hairs; then he abruptly releases the mane.

"Was that enough to satisfy you?" The dragon knows, can feel, that the boy is terrified and in no sense wants this, this is to quell his own rage though. "Answer me."

"D-don't hurt me," It was truly pathetic the way the child curls up and hoarsely cries that through his sobs, and yet if anything it excites the dragon to see the boy at his feet like this, at his mercy. He again finds himself crouching over the tamer.

"That isn't what I asked." A much more loud sob is Bakura's answer, he can feel the boy's mind straining under the pressure, so he goes a new direction. "If you don't like the pain then why?"

"Be-because.." Ryou hardly gets past his lips.

"You are afraid, you should be." The dragon seethes, "But I'm not the only one you should fear, " he continues cruelly. "The dragon you ran into wants to mate with you and not like that stupid human child tried."

The sobbing child all to sudden stops, his whole breathing stops at those words, a new sense of dread washing over him at the new information, a sinking familiar fear wallowing in his stomach.

"Next time you run from me I will let him," even as Bakura speaks it his stomach twists in distaste at the thought, but it has the desired effect, he can feel the way his tamer's mind sobers over with apprehension, an old memory resurfacing and violently beating him into submission, he is still like the dead. "I assure you, he will not be as gentle as your teacher."

Ryou jerks away and screams as if burnt by fire when the other grabs his hip, he is forced still though by the beasts hold but he can't be silenced, it is as he is being murdered because now he is so panicked induced he can't tell who is touching him and only thinks they want one thing, however when the boy's wallet is snatched from his pocket he is swiftly released and then left alone when the dragon exits the front door.

Paralyzed, the memories are so vivid that it feels as if he can't move a muscle and makes him want to rip his eyes out to stop seeing the images as if they were just now happening, but that wouldn't be enough because his skin can feel it, he has to peel off his skin. Overall it is the disgust that makes the child move, he stands on wobbly legs and makes his way to the shower, when stepping under the spray of water he cannot distinguish if it is cold or hot, that isn't important, what is important is scrubbing his body.

He slowly but surely convinces himself that all the scrubbing is ridding his flesh of the phantom touch that explores his body and only when he does that can he assure himself that it is alright, that the pain between his thighs is just a symptom of his mind, and that he was not raped.. almost, but not.

He was held down, kissed, and molested by his teach- more than a teacher, the one he trusted most because he was the only one who spoke his language, the one he confided in, and the one who taught him Japanese through years of studying, that man had whispered sweet things in _his_ language, and that hurt worse, as he betrayed Ryou, and though he can still feel the man's fingers inside him, ripping him apart from the inside, they were _only_ fingers, Pegasus had not raped him. That thought alone is oddly reassuring to the young man.

When the water is finally shut off Ryou is feeling better, a weight off his chest as the dark thoughts are again forced to the back of his mind, it isn't the first time these memories have resurfaced though it's the first time they were forced by another's hand, still it is something he can handle.

His thoughts are on a whole new topic while he distractedly rubs his head with the puffy, white towel, his hair impossible to dry, that new thought is that that beast, cruel creature, truly did know everything. The teen remembers his words from when they first met- _I can read your thoughts_, and yet he thought that there was some sanctuary, that maybe the dragon only breeched the surface; that's obviously not the case. Bakura not only knows what he muses about this second, but every little thing that's in his mind, every experience and secret is laid before him like a book, and there is nothing he can do about it. How do you fight someone who knows your every move? You don't.

It's not as if Ryou really disobeyed the monster though, not in his own mind anyways, not till he ran, and that was a fluke, something done without thought. No. That isn't right, he talked to Yugi, whom he thought was his friend and yet now.. All he has to do is listen to the Dragon, if Yugi is truly his friend than he will understand when he is told. He will tell Yugi come Monday when he goes back to school, he will obey the dragons wish.

Ryou doesn't know when he had stepped into his bedroom, mechanically searching for clothes with the towel tied around his waist, but that doesn't matter. For the first time in a long time he feels calm, not like the emptiness he felt the other day, but a true calm.

After carelessly tossing on a pair of sweatpants and a plain T-shirt the boy makes his way to the living room, switching on the small TV just to hear the sound as he goes to the kitchen to make some Tea. Instead of putting on the kettle he puts a mug of water in the microwave, while it hums with power he briefly ponders about food, but he knows there is nothing to eat, so when the microwave beeps he plops in a Tea bag, and makes his way back to the living room to sink into the couch, his new bed he muses, and rot his brain with television. He has homework, but that can be put off till later.

* * *

><p>The banging of his front door is what wakes Ryou from the slumber he wasn't even aware he fell into, and at first he is in a panic, but when it follows some thuds and rustling he quickly assumes it is the returning dragon, for a thief wouldn't be so loud.<p>

"Boy!" There is a call from the kitchen and with new resolve the teen makes his way to that side of the apartment. What greets him in the kitchen is a pleased looking copy-cat of himself standing by his table that is covered with a large stack of grocery bags. "You will cook something for me." It is not a question, it is an order. It becomes apparent quick what is on the menu, meat, every bag is full of a variety of meat with not a green in sight.

After putting all the other dead animals in their respective places, though it was a hassle shoving so much in the freezer, Ryou reunites with his stove. Turning on the heat and grabbing a pan he all but drops the large chunk of cow in it, wondering how such a large piece still qualified as steak. He awkwardly throws some spices on the sizzling meat, his back so tense it could snap, but it's not the cooking that has him so on edge, no, he is confident on his cooking skills, what has got him nervous is the dragon's decision to walk up behind him and watch every little move he makes.

"That's enough," Bakura says so suddenly that it jolts his tamer.

"B-but-" Ryou tries to protest, he had just flipped the meat and it just browned on the outside, obviously not ready for consumption, but he is ignored the larger male reaching forward and grapping the meat with a bare hand, though the teen notices that hand is covered in silver scales.

The human looks away in disgust as the other tears into the still mostly raw meat, blood running down his arm and chin. It makes the boy's stomach turn, so he distracts himself by turning off the stove and putting the pan into the sink. Though repulsed by the dragon's manners the boy can't help to notice his own hunger, he had planned on cooking the meat a little better and splitting it, that went out the window fast, so he goes to find something else.

"What?" Ryou cries out in shock when his arm is caught, stopping him in his tracks, he turns to face the beast that caught him with regret. The meat that was in Bakura's other hand has already been devoured, now the man is cleaning his bloody hand with long strokes of his tongue from wrist to the tips of his fingers, his eyes oddly predatory. "B-Bakura?"

"You don't think I forgot about this afternoon, do you?" Ryou can feel panic rattle in his chest at the dark tone, he can't help but remember when the blood on Bakura's hand was his and for a moment he thinks about struggling, he knows better. "Or did you really think you would get away with just a scolding?"

"I-I-" The teen tries to answer after the dragon pauses for a response, but he can't get his voice to work, he can feel the burning of tears building in his eyes, and already his body is taken over by uncontrollable trembling with the sudden burst of fear.

At the point the alarmed teen is expecting a lot of things to happen, what he doesn't expect is to be literally dragged, because he can't force his feet to work so he can walk, towards his hallway closet, before it being opened and him being thrown into the small, cluttered space.

"You human's don't have school tomorrow, do you?" The question throws Ryou off but he forces himself to shake his head no, it's the weekend tomorrow, "Good, I couldn't imagine you're gonna sleep well tonight."

The slamming of the door has poor Ryou jumping, making him hit his head on the shelf in there, ignoring the sting of his skull, his immediate thought is to escape the darkness. There is no lock on the door and the knob turns easy, but when the teen pushes the door doesn't budge an inch, he's stuck.

He's stuck here until Bakura lets him out


	9. Chapter Nine

Busy, busy, busy, but here's another update!

To my most splendid, excellent reviewers!

**Marimarz**- Thank you again for telling me that my story was in bold, I don't know that happened but I'm a ditz, lol. He'll get a break.. just not this chapter.. maybe not the next one either… One day, lol, glad you liked it.

**KrazynKuki – **Ahhh! Yeah, another update! And don't worry I don't scare easy, lol. I'm real glad you love my story, I understand you couldn't review last time, thank you for supporting me J

**ilovemanicures **– I am very tempted to have Marik "cuddle" Ryou, very tempted, but that is not in the storyline.. for now *insert evil laugh here*. I feel super sad when stories I like just suddenly stop, I know the sorrow, so I could never abandon my readers, though I sometimes take some time to update. I can understand the sappy writers, sometimes it's so hard to torture Ryou and I just want someone to cuddle him cutely.

-Bakura is a douche in the last chapter, my poor Ryou L Hope you like the update.

**DarkAnubisAngel **– I'm glad you loved the story, hope you enjoy the update.

**Nearcreature **– Yeah, I'm too mean to little Ryou, hope you like the new chapter.

**randomismyname13 **– Don't worry, in this chapter is his great escape! Well.. or he's let out.. either way he's free.

**FormerV **– Yeah I used to refer to Malik as Marik and his dark side as Yami Marik, but when you see everyone using Malik it kinda grows on you. Yeah, the first part was pretty hard for me to write, so I'm glad that you liked it. Yeah I got the idea of how he ate by the video of eating a steak, if you haven't seen that you should look it up, lol. Hope you like this chapter.

**Darth Mudkip – **He's a super mean dragon, one day I will get him back for all the mean things he's done to Ryou.. that I wrote, but that's beside the point! Yeah, I'm good at moving a story along without it actually moving.. I'm not sure if that is a talent or a curse, anyways hop you like the new chapter.

Silver Scales

Ryou is listless when he is finally let out of the closet, squinting at the bright light attacking his sensitive retinas, every part of him aches painfully being squashed into a space that couldn't be more than three by three foot with two stacked boxes taking up most that room, but that isn't what makes the room a new fear of his, Ryou found out within the first hour that claustrophobia is a learned condition.

"Nice night?" The dragon taunts while leaning casually against the wall, the cruelty makes the teen's heart drop, there is no way the false human didn't hear his cries and desperate pounding in attempts to escape, it had made his voice hoarse and hands throb. "Go cook something."

Dully the teen does as he's ordered without a word or the energy to even imagine up a sarcastic remark to himself, it's as if he's working blindly, just doing what's needed to be done without even really knowing what he's doing, where he's doing it, or how, he doesn't even notice how the world seems so blurry around him or how his head feels as if it's full of helium. When had his world turned dark again?

Bakura groans in annoyance, the only thing his tamer seems good at is fainting, he begrudgingly goes to gather the boy from the counter he fell asleep against, surprisingly staying upright with his top half sprawled across the ledge. He can't help but notice that the child has grown even lighter, it seems dangerous for such a small, fragile thing, though he can't recall the last time food passed those pale lips. He dumps the brat on the couch.

When the dragon gets back to the kitchen he looks at the stove with distaste and the pork chops beside it, cooking is a human chore that he usually wouldn't dirty his hands with, but with a weak host he doesn't seem to have much of a choice.

His last tamer had been a worrier, a man with strength and pride, Bakura had fun breaking him in, because it wasn't simple. The man was as cunning as a fox with a cruelty that rivaled that of his own, a thief that was a king at his sport. Those were good times in a land where he was treated as a god and he had good sport, a place where he needn't worry about hunters, but that is also where he met Atem, that is enough to turn a good memory sour. Times have truly changed and weak mortals seem to be the norm, but in its own way that is good, this tamer will never trick him like the last.

When the meat is done i.e. burned on the outside and raw on the inside he throws one on a plate before ripping into another, his nose crinkles in disgust, but he swallows it anyways and continues to eat. After he finishes his meal the man returns to the living room tossing the plate onto the coffee table, it clacks loudly against the wood.

"Wake up," He orders the slumbering child, it shouldn't come to a surprise the boy doesn't budge, so he gives him a shove. "Wake up," with another shove Ryou jerks awake, though his first reaction is to try to shy away from the bright light, shoving his face into the back of the couch with a low groan. "Get up and eat."

At the mention of consuming Ryou redirects his attention, turning back over and blinking sluggishly to help adjust his eyes to the glaring lights, but one look at the "food" and he regrets his decision to stir. What sits on the plate could not be edible, hell he might have had better luck eating that coal eggs from a few days ago and yet slit eyes look down at him expectedly. Biding his time the teen slowly adjusts himself into a sitting position, but there is no fighting the imminent and soon he is reaching forward to grab the meat with his hands for there is no utensils. Taking a bite the meat gives easily to teeth, the back of his hand stops the boy from spitting the food out, no meat is supposed to crunch like that and the juice is so thick and disgusting, that's when he looks down at what he just took a bite out of, the completely charred meat is completely pink on the inside.

"Swallow it," The dragon orders before he can spit it out and he can't help but look up at the other in shock, is the beast trying to kill him? Sadly, the look on the other's face gives him no room to argue. With much force and trepidation the meat slides down his throat and into his stomach, because he can't handle another night in the closet, physically can't bear it. The torture is not over, Bakura makes him eat every last bite of the meal, with his turning stomach he is surprised he doesn't throw up, "if you don't like how I cook then you better do it yourself, I will not let you starve."

Starve? Wasn't it the dragon that refused him something to eat last night? Then again, before that it felt forever since his last meal, a girl shared some cookies with him in class yesterday (because his stomach growled embarrassingly loud), but his lunch was taken up by talking to Yugi, Thursday was spent mostly sleeping, so it was Wednesday, he had lunch on Wednesday before Yugi came over and before he had been attacked. It had been three days since he's had a decent meal, how didn't he notice that?

Living with the dragon is slowly but surely killing him, necessary things like sleeping and eating are being thrown out of control, his stress levels are at an all time high, and the bodily harm is taking its effect. Isn't it how it's supposed to be, though? The dragon is just here to suck him dry and move on, his being here is Ryou's timely death, and there is nothing he can do about it but bear with it.

"I'm glad you know your place."

"Yeah," Ryou quietly agrees, his heart sinking into his stomach, it's good to know ones place. "I- I'm tired," He's a lot more than tired, but he doesn't mention that, only that he's tired.

"Do what you like."

…..

_Crash!_ Ryou flinches, not expecting such a loud noise when he tossed the can in the shopping cart, but he continues on. His eyes roam the aisles as he pushes the squeaking cart along, he thinks up meal ideas, but really it doesn't matter, all the dragon eats is meat- mostly raw meat. Weeks have passed and life is.. surprisingly normal. Ryou's daily life includes school, coming home to cook, and then sleeping; he stays out of the dragon's way and the dragon leaves him to his own devices, like shopping as he's doing right now.

"Hello," The boy looks up when someone steps in his way.

"H-hi?" He answers unsurely, the dark male before him unrecognizable, he shamefully wonders if the boy is someone from his class.. but with those looks it would be completely impossible not to notice him, with pale hair styled into impossible spikes and skin of bronze.

"You're looking a lot better today," the man before him draws casually, mauve eyes roam over what's in the boy's cart uninterestedly, before coming up to meet those chocolate ones, a smirk on his lips, Ryou breaks eye contact nervously. For the life of him he can't recall this man, though it seems they have met.

"Tha-"

_~Home, now.~ _The dragon's voice rips through his skull, the piercing pain so much worse than the usual headache that it makes him jolt, hand going up to sooth an invisible wound, never had the dragon ever been so short with him either, always a calm but cruel glide of words echoing in his mind usually.

"Is he talking to you, now?" It's obviously a rhetorical question, because when Ryou looks up the man before him he holds the gaze of certainty. "You'll get used to the pain after a while, but for now you should act a bit normal, people are starting to stare."

Slowly, cautiously, the boy lowers his hand from his forehead, his eyes not leaving the person before him as if he's waiting for him to attack and to the teen's knowledge, he might.

_"-One last thing: don't act suspicious, there are dragon hunters and if they find you they will complete the spell and ultimately kill you,-" The boy is gravely serious, "-Dragons are nearly indestructible, so they will not bat an eye at your demise, they will only see it as a necessary sacrifice.-"_

The man before him has to be a hunter, how else would he know? If that is truly the case then he has to get out of here, fast.

"Come, let us continue shopping," the unknown man –hunter?- inclines, making his way around the cart to stand next to the pale teen, it takes a moment for Ryou to regain his voice.

"I-I must go, excu-" A strong hand wraps around his delicate wrist before he can retreat, he looks up at the man with large, frightened eyes.

"What did he tell you? Did he tell you to run?" Ryou looks around, but no one is paying any attention to the two males, not anymore than they usually would slyly glancing, but it's not as if the other shoppers understand what they are saying, not while they're speaking English. "Don't be so afraid, I won't hurt you," Those words are not comforting, not the way they are said.

"If you d-don't let me go, I'll- I'll cry out!" The teen warns daringly, giving a small yank to his captured arm, the grip stays firm. "I-I will."

That smirk doesn't leave the stranger's handsome face, if anything it grows.

"What a cheeky, little tamer. I can understand why Bakura is so cruel to you," the boy nibbles nervously on his bottom lip, trying to take in all the new information, this person knows Bakura. The man's words lower in volume, grow a more serious edge, "Do you really think these people could help you?"

The teen would like to think they could, wishes they could with all his will, yet deep down he knows they can't, it is mainly elderly women roaming about them, so Ryou has to admit to himself that he doesn't have any help, then –not with any intention- he admits it to the stranger as well, "no." Ryou flinches at his own week voice, it sounds as if he had given up his very soul with that one dreaded word.

"Don't look so upset," A hand goes to pet downy, white hair, which the boy cringes away from, " I'm not here for you, not yet, I just need to speak to Bakura."

Ryou is dragged along like a mischievous child with one hand, while the stranger pushes the cart along with his other hand: It must have been a sight to see, because everyone is staring almost openly at the pretty males.

"You're dragon should be here soon, so relax," the tan male assures when the smaller male looks as if he's still on the urge of crying, "though you should take this as a lesson not to stray too far from him again."

"I-it's closer to the school a-and the sales are best here," Ryou finds himself answering, the man before him stops dead.

"That's too cute, just like a little housewife," The man spins back around to look at the smaller male suddenly, his face too close for Ryou's liken though he frozen stiff, yet the stranger leans in even further till their lips almost touch, hot breath caresses his lips with each word, "why don't you become my housewife instead?"

"I thought this was already resolved," For all the terror Bakura put him through he makes up by saving him, this is the third time he is rescued, third time that he praises his meeting with the dragon.

"You have the habit of butting in at the most disagreeable time," The tan male pouts before backing away from the tamer in his grasp, and even letting him go. "Though you know, I could have eaten him before you showed up, you shouldn't roam so far away."

"You really know how to get on my nerves," Bakura growls back.

"So testy, I didn't do it," a smirk is back on the other's lips, "Though if you waited just a bit longer, who knows?"

The silver dragon tenses with rage, you can see with every fiber of his being that he wants to rip the smirk off the other dragon's face, it takes excellent control to hold it in.

"That isn't why I'm here though, my last deal didn't grab your interest, so I've got a new one for you."

"I'm not interested in any deal you have," Bakura tells him before stalking even closer and grabbing Ryou's upper arm, the boy has yet to move from his spot since the whole ordeal had started, confused on what to do and what he's listening too.

"Don't be so hasty, Bakura," The gold saunters forward with a confidence out of this world, "I assure you this is a deal worth hearing."

"I doubt you have anything that will catch my interest."

"Come to my home and I'll show you."

"And if it is a waste of my time?"

"If you have no interest in my offer than I will leave you and your tamer alone, indefinitely." With that Marik starts his journey out of the market were they defiantly made a spectacle and after a moment Bakura follows, Ryou in tow.

…..

Too much dialog! I suck at dialog, I make it so cheesy.


	10. Chapter Ten

You know I love to appreciate and give credit to all my reviewers, but sadly today I do not have the time, I want you all to know that still all your reviews are what keeps me going. Also since my time is limited for now that I have had to cut this chapter short and my next one will be much longer and better. Thank you.

Silver Scales

The two Dragons twist and turn around the city like it's a maze with Ryou dragged behind, and the further they go the more the boy thinks this is a bad idea, worse, it's a terrible idea! He has this nagging feeling that Bakura knows this as well, yet they still follow the leader like a small bunch of video game lemmings.

The apartment they wind up in is not in the best neighborhood, some of the nearby business looking quite shady but not nearly as shady as the ones that occupy them, though the building is not bad at all, almost nice. It has a working elevator while Ryou's only has stairs and the halls all look taken care of well, Ryou busies himself with these little details... every little detail, because he knows one of these doors he will be going through and if he thinks of that, he might just run again. He would somehow escape his dragon's grasp and run far, far away.

When finally a door is selecting Ryou's fleeing instinct skyrockets though it seems that Bakura senses that, for the grip on his upper arm tightens, almost painfully so.

"Come in," Marik invites when opening the unlocked door, holding it open for them, the silver dragon glares as he passes by though it doesn't affect the large grin on the others face, and Ryou tries to concentrate on sinking through the floor. "Wait here, I will go retrieve my host."

"Why do-"

"He's needed," The gold cuts off the other dragon before disappearing in the hall, a large crash mysteriously sounding just a few second later and then wailing. Marik shows up again after a couple of minutes a struggling double ganger all but dragged behind him, loudly spouting what Ryou loosely recognizes as Egyptian Arabic thanks to his father's field in archaeology.

"And you offered to help with my tamer," Bakura smirks, finally releasing his hold on his host to casually cross his arms over his chest.

"You misunderstand, I encourage struggles like this, I like it and even reward it on occasions, but he is really quite obedient," As if to prove his point the blonde tamer is pulled close to his dragon and with just a few Arabic words whispered in his ear he goes completely still. It adequately wipes the smirk off Bakura's face and Ryou takes a small moment to appreciate that. "Welcome our guest, Malik."

"Hello," Ryou used to remark at all those who spoke his language, but now it seems like he's running into a lot of those people. Malik's jewel eyes don't meet his company's, instead the look to the side, a firm frown showing his discomfort.

"If this is all you have to show me then I am not impressed," Bakura snarls, just as angry at being showed up than he is about having his time wasted.

"So impatient," Marik tsks amusedly, "I didn't bring out my tamer just to show off his good looks, he has something very important to show you." Though it is the gold dragon that does the showing, forcing the boy's white shirt over his head and physically turning him so his back faces the two whitenettes, revealing intricate carvings.

"Am I supposed to care about this?" The silver questions heedlessly while his tamer on the other hand is in between being amazed by the detail and feeling great sympathy for the other teen, such a thing must have taken an overwhelming amount of time and had to be extremely painful.

"You should, this is what's going to give you another host," those words send an unexplainable shiver down Ryou's spine, "It takes a lot of time to build up strength to make a domain and to change tamers, but my sweet Mailk's ancestors came up with this wonderful ritual which makes your target the domain."

"D-Domain?" Ryou finds himself speaking out of turn, but he just doesn't understand what is going on.

"Bakura really doesn't tell you anything, don't you remember how you got yourself in this situation?"

_"As for being my tamer you no longer have a choice, we are already linked, you by stepping in my chamber and me by accepting and tasting your blood"_ The dragon's words echo in his mind from what feels like a long time ago, though it still doesn't add up to well in his mind, "N-no."

"What do you know about Dragons?"

"He knows enough." Bakura answers for Ryou in a snap.

"Right.." Marik draws interestedly, though he moves forward with the topic at hand, "Well I'm sure our sweet Ryou isn't your first pick of a tamer, so if you relinquish him to me, I will have Malik perform the ceremony on the human of your choosing."

"T-to.. you?" The smallest male in the room swallows thickly at those words, is this the dragon that wants to.. _mate_ with him? It has to be, why else? And here he is going to be traded to him like a piece of meat at the market, the child feels light headed, and, as much as he tries to comfort himself with false reassurances, he can't stop the sudden onslaught of tears. Bakura is no comfort in the least, he stands there quietly, obviously contemplating it, and why wouldn't he? Has he not told his host that he is too weak and pathetic over and over?"Please d-don't."

The silver dragon looks over at his tamer for the first time in a while, he cannot tell if the boy meant to speak at all, seeming physically shaken with tears sliding down his cheeks from tightly closed eyes and head down, it's as if he's trying to will himself elsewhere.

"I-" Whatever Bakura was going to say is cut short with the snap of his teeth, a grimace on his face as he turns his head to the right to look at seemingly nothing, but the thing that got his attention has also gotten Marik's. "It's the half-breed."

"He'll attract every hunter for miles," Marik all but growls, "if they aren't already there."

Ryou blinks to clear his vision, what are they talking about? What is happening? The boy seems to be the only one confused, even Malik looks to know what is happening.

"It's a pity, but it seems like our deal will have to wait; it is time for Malik and I to move," The gold proclaims, "I suggest you do the same."

"You are a thousand years too young to be giving me advice," With those final words Ryou is being yanked out of the apartment by his wrist still completely oblivious to what just happened, but was he saved?

The teen finds himself tripping over his feet trying to keep up with the beasts pace, there is a determined, distant look on the others face.

"B-Bakura, what's wrong?" Bakura stops dead, Ryou almost crashing into him, before turning to look at the smaller male, visibly scrutinizing the human before deciding to speak..

"I thought you were a nuisance before, but it seems my luck has continued to decrease," he begins, "A dragon is calling, it is not something normal humans can hear, but the hunters can pick it up, and they will come if they are not already."

"A-are we leaving, like M-Malik?" Ryou wonders.

"Don't be stupid, you have only been living here for hardly two months, wouldn't suddenly moving look suspicious?" The boy hadn't even thought of that, "Hunters are not so simple nor are they few, they know how to get in high places and keep track of things amiss. We are not leaving, but there will be a change of things."

They are again on the move, Bakura not explaining things any further, and though Ryou's wrist was released he is still frantically trying to keep up with the others pace.

…

Just as Bakura said, things changed, and they changed quickly. In the past few days the whole school has been in an uproar about the brother of some famous millionaire being kidnapped at a game tournament, Yugi has been even harder to avoid, and the most strange is that his dragon is again waiting for him at the school gate, just as he has been the last three days.

"Have you noticed anything suspicious?" He questions as he always does when picking up Ryou, the younger boy once questioned it – seeing as Bakura can read his mind, and shockingly the beast gave him an answer. He was told that in the dragon's mind his thoughts are in the background, kind of like a TV, and though he could concentrate on what Ryou is thinking it takes up too much energy, only strong emotions or thoughts come to the forefront of his mind.

"No, not really." It's the same answer as ever, the teen cannot see anything out of place, other than the gossip of scandal, of course. "Nobody is absent and they all seem pretty normal."

"Seeming normal is easy," the dragon all but huffs, he's easily agitated, even more now than before – though it makes him much more talkative. "I need you to figure out if they _are_ normal."

"Easier said than done," Ryou mumbles under his breath, the glare he receives for it makes him flinch.

"It still looks as if you don't understand the current situation," Bakura scolds, almost like a parent to a disobedient child, "If they catch you, they are going to kill you."

"I-I know," It's a defeated whisper, he does know though, it's something he doesn't need reminding of, because it's always on his mind. That fear travels with him everywhere he goes, that feeling of death just around the corner, because if these hunters don't do it.. The dragon will. "But there's nothing.. else I can do."

"You can-" The dragon cuts off mid-sentence to swallow, as if trying to hold throwing up, "confide in the twerp and that _lizard_, they should know more."

"But-"

"Don't question my decisions, I am not pleased about the situation myself," he growls, "that imbecile has been a pain in my side for thousands of years, it's just my luck that I have somehow been placed in the same area as he."

That is a good sign to end the conversation so Ryou speaks no more, the rest of the walk is done in mutual silence.

...

Again, I am very sorry for the short length, but time is against me and I wanted to put this out because I'm not sure when I will be able to make another update.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Holy shit, an update! That's like a shiny pokemon these days, lol. I don't have my laptop fixed yet, but my friend said her cousin can fix it for $40, so I'm going to give it to him and hope for the best until I'm borrowing this crappy thing from my brother so updates should come a little sooner for this and my other fanfiction.

To my super awesome reviewers!

**FormerV** - I'm glad you don't find my dialogue to be cheesy, I'm a pretty socially awkward person so talking is hard and thinking about what people would say is hard. I was all like ew, ew, ew during the meat part, lol, but I just know Bakura can't cook and that he's a jerk face so that is the result. My poor cattle Ryou, he is treated so bad. I can tell you Kaiba isn't the tamer Bakura is looking for and you'll see why this chapter ;) Thank you for sticking with me for this long ^_^

**DarkAnubisAngel** - If everyone keeps telling me my dialogue isn't cheesy I might start believing them, lol, well I guess it doesn't really matter as long as my fans are happy. I'm glad you love my story ^_^

**ilovemanicures** - Thanks for saying my writing is boss, that's a pretty epic compliment, and your feedback always makes me smile. I do hope to give everyone a more solid back story, I'm trying to tie it in a pretty bow in the end, because character development is the second most important thing to me. I feel so bad sometimes for what I do to poor Ryou, that meat scene is so terrible, but I did it, I'm one of those who bully the people I like, lol. I'm glad you thought Malik was done well, I felt like I kinda pushed him to the background. Sorry to make you wait so long!

**millenniumspoon** - Thank you, as long as my fans like the dialogue that's all that really matters. Poor Ryou is always getting the worst end of the stick, after I'm finished with my current fanfictions I'm gonna try to write something nice, key word: try, though I think I already got an idea. I hope you didn't wait too long with bated breath or you would have suffocated by now, I didn't want to kill one of my amazing fans (or at least knock them out)! I updated, breath normal! Lol.

**Lazy Gaga **- Don't worry, if you're sadistic than I'm just plain evil for writing the stuff.. That awkward moment when you realize you're evil *gasp*. And I will never stop writing! If I die I shall possess a computer to keep this going :) So glad you like the plot ^_^

**nearcreature **- Well the main pairing is Bakura/Ryou, though I'm not sure if it will turn into full blown yaoi they will get closer (eventually) and Marik/Ryou was just something I dabbled with because I like it plus it is there to test Bakura and Ryou's relationship. I'm glad you like the story.

**Akuma-Wolf-Drake**- Ryou is stronger than he looks and I'm sure that sooner or later they will come up with an agreement, don't worry :)

Silver Scales

When getting back home they start up the normal routine, Ryou walks straight to the stove before even placing down his backpack, the sooner he seems to get to the stove the calmer his dragon (yes, _his_ dragon, because if the other keeps referring to him as an object, he is going to do the same), and starts to cook while the beast plops down at a table chair and looks angry at the world. It isn't till the dragon has his meal that the teen can cook for himself, sitting down to eat way after the other has finished what he calls food. After feeling self conscious from Bakura watching him eat in a too intense way and having to sit through being constantly degraded about how and what he eats they finally both pass this painful set.

Then the boy picks up his backpack from near the stove and walks into the living room to start his homework, the beast follows, heavy textbooks and loose paper spread hazardously along the coffee table. After the first night of insulting human culture, their studies, and homework itself Bakura had said no more about that, instead he likes to comment on the crude things that were written by Keith plus his lackeys over almost every page of his books before his stuff was given back to him by the shaken teen, a headache by itself. Yes, the near half an hour silence would suddenly break with a chuckle and cruel words,

"If I'm correct, whores at least get paid."

This always seems to make Ryou forget the answer he was just about to jot down to a really hard question, you know the one that took you ten minutes because you don't remember learning about it in the first place and it's nowhere in your notes so you have to go back in the text book to find it, that one. And with a sigh, the boy always lets his curiosity get to him so he looks for the comment to get that reaction, wasting time.

_Cheap cock whore_, is what he finally finds among all the other (mostly illegible) scribbles, this one with a crude picture beside it of a man like shape with long hair that he presumes is him bent over with over-proportioned male sex organ positioned at his backside, his shoddily drawn self giving him a wink and thumbs up. Ryou lets out another sigh.

He goes back to doing his work only for this to repeat every twenty to thirty minutes.

Annoying his host seems to be the dragon's only entertainment now that he feels he can't leave the small human's side. Yet, overall Ryou doesn't mind, it is better than it used to be and sometimes the boy can spit back his own smart-ass comment and get a chuckle in return instead of hit.

It took a few hours to finish all his homework, but by the end of it he even had a few laughs with the banters between him and Bakura, he repacks his school bag.

"I'm gonna go take a shower." Ryou informs after a long stretch, getting to his feet, the other just nods in confirmation. It takes only a moment for the teen to grab something comfortable from his room before he makes his way to the bathroom. He nearly sighs in relief when the door is shut and locked, between school and the dragon this is his only private time. Turning the faucet on he adjusts the water before turning on the shower and then stripping, the clothes carelessly left in a pile on the floor.

The hot water does wonders to his achy muscles when stepping under the spray, liquid heat trailing his whole body with its soothing caress.

Not only has bending over books been hard on his back, but sleeping on the floor gives him constant trouble. With not being out of the dragon's sight the boy has no choice but sleep in the room with him and the larger male is not fond of sharing the bed again, not as if Ryou wants to share it with him, so he made him a pallet on the floor from spare blankets and pillows, it's uncomfortable, but he has no choice.

Using a good amount of shampoo he scrubs his hair, using his fingers to comb out the knots with his fingers, before massaging it into his scalp. There is no rush, just the opposite, he doesn't want to leave this shower until the water has lost all its subduing heat. He continues to wash himself first by rinsing the shampoo out and then scrubbing off the tension of the day with a dark blue washcloth.

It only takes him a moment of lathering himself up to notice how sensitive he is, his breath catching when he rubs down his throat. He continues to trail the cloth down his chest with a small moan, realizing just how long it's been since he's touched himself.

Bonding with a dragon hasn't done much for his health or sex drive, but even that can't suppress a teenage boy's raging hormones for long.

The washcloth falls with a splat to the floor, Ryou growing more aroused by the second at the thought of what he's going to do, his face growing red from the heat and embarrassment. He shudders at the first touch to his most sensitive place his breath catching before he grips himself fully. He leans against the wall as he strokes himself, the cold of the tile a sharp contrast to the heat of the water pouring down on him. He has no clue what he's started.

Bakura growls and paces outside the bathroom door, wondering if the boy is trying to seduce him by sending those delicious feelings to him; tempting him first with that feminine body and now with those lusty emotions as he touches himself just on the opposite side of this door.

The more he is around the child the more his conviction is tested, not only his belief to not lay with a human but with a male, a thought that has never crossed his mind before. Too many times has he admired the boy's body when he lay bear before him and thought his face too pretty, it is unnatural even to himself, yet it's becoming too great an urge to pass up.

He can hear those soft moans of pleasure the boy emits beyond the door as the bliss he feels passes through their link undiluted, he wants to watch. The dragon feels that if he could just watch it would be enough to satisfy him, he loves the boys face twisted in pain and fear, how would it look sedated with pleasure?

His hand stops short from the door handle and instead he lets all his rage out on the door, slamming his fist into it hard enough to splinter the wood before turning and storming to the bedroom.

'_Bang!'_

Ryou jolts with a pathetic squeak, nearly slipping and breaking his neck. He stands there frozen, heart hammering two hundred heartbeats a minute just waiting for an attack, for some kind of pain, but it doesn't come. Finally after minutes have passed does the boy allow himself to sink down to the ground with a frightened sob, curling his legs up to himself while he tries to reassure himself. By the time he is calm the water has long lost the welcoming heat he cherished and it's safe to say that any earlier lust he felt has quickly and effectively been distinguished by the sudden shock to his system.

After gets out of the shower with a frustrated sigh, feeling more tense than before, he dries off and gets dressed, that's when he notices the damage to the door. He worries his bottom lip with teeth as he reaches up to softly trace the jagged edges of the busted door, wondering what it done to cause such an infliction. Pulling his hand back he distracts himself brushing his teeth and hair trying not to worry about what just happened and what is going to happen, yet it only frustrates him because _he doesn't know what's happening_! Less than half an hour ago he was bantering with the dragon like a friend and now he has a random hole in the bathroom door, he drops his toothbrush in its holder with an exhausted groan before making his way to the bedroom.

When he enters the bedroom he's instantly aware of the dragon's glare, it makes the boy shudder, yet the other doesn't say anything to him so he doesn't say anything either, just tensely goes over to his "bed" to get ready to sleep. Getting comfortable on his pallet isn't easy and knowing he is being watched doesn't make it any easier, he feels insecure of his standing with the dragon right now, rolling around on the floor like an idiot until he decides that pretending to sleep might turn away the attention, it doesn't, those eyes bore into him so intensely his flesh prickles. Finally, after a short eternity, the light is flicked off, Ryou curls into himself tighter resisting the urge to sigh in relief before he starts his troublesome journey into sleep.

…

Ryou jerks awake with a yelp, quickly sitting up to find what has attacked him in his sleep, an extra pillow lays innocently beside him, with a groan he tiredly rubs his eyes of sleep, strands of his nightmare still nipping at his mind. Only after a few moments of waking up does he link the extra pillow that hit him on the head to his attacker, the only other person in the room, Bakura.

If it were a few weeks ago he would have thrown the pillow back at the other, but he knows better than that, instead he goes to throw a secret glare in his direction.. he immediately regrets it. He wasn't expecting the dragon's ruby eyes to be on him, almost glowing in the dark, his breath catches- this is like a horror movie.

"You cry out in your sleep," the beast breaks the silence, there is no accusation in his voice nor concern, it's strictly spoken in a way that is supposed to be informative, "it makes it hard to sleep."

"I-I'm sorry," Ryou responds awkwardly to the others statement. The boy starts to stiffly make himself comfortable again thinking that was it, he was wrong.

"Laying on the floor isn't good for your body, you must be uncomfortable," Bakura says almost out of nowhere.

"It's fine," the teen says more to the ground than to the other male, trying to avoid the dragon's eyes though it is too dark for the other to actually see him.. unless dragons can see in the dark.

"There is enough room on the bed."

Ryou opens his mouth but then snaps it shut, reminding himself that questioning the other has never really ended well, he peer back up to see that the other's stare is still unwavering and intense. It's obvious that something is off, with the sudden attack to his bathroom door, the glare down before bed, and now this, but the boy can't figure out what is causing this and worse, he can't refuse the feign man.

There is a stillness and silence, though that doesn't mean the room is placid. The young male is feeling more and more trapped by those glowing, crimson eyes and his lack of choices.. No, not lack of, he does have a choice, the problem is he can't decide which is worse than the other. On one side he had slept on the bed with the dragon before without harm placed on him, though now the beast is acting odd, as if he has ulterior motives and then there is disobeying, that could lead him into a number of disastrous ends for the night from being trapped in the closet till the sun rises where the walls are too tight to breath or from having the feel of those nails slicing through his skin like a hot knife through butter, ripping him apart then letting him bleed in that bleak cold. After just a moment's thought it becomes clear which is the best option, the thought of the dragons anger much more frightening than the unnamed dangers of what is now going on.

His eyes had adjusted enough to see the dragon fold the covers over to invite him in, something about it seeming to say he's made the right choice as if he knew Ryou's inner battle, which how hard the younger thought about it the other probably did. He hesitates a moment, this seeming to be too… intimate, like something he saw in a bad romantic comedy, but with no real decision he lays down by the beast.

Everything seems surprisingly normal, he is covered up and maybe just a little bit too close to the edge than comfortable but it puts more distance between him and the beast, until he is dragged back to a warm body by a strong arm around his waist.

Panic swells up in the boy's chest but he doesn't move, doesn't even breath, was this what he was expecting? He was expecting something, some trick or taunting, but this is wrong. The way the other continues to hold him just isn't right, the way the feign human's hot breath stirs the hair on the top of the teen's head is more disturbing than any attack.

"I w-will sleep on the floor," Ryou stutters when he manages to gain his composure, taking in large, calming breaths.

"Keep quiet and stay still." The dragon growls.

As much as the boy was dreading what was coming next, mind going wild with all the possibilities of what could happen, nothing does. He sits there awkward and stiff just continuing to wait until he finds himself asleep.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Ryou groggily hits around trying to turn off that super annoying sound, but he can't find the source of it. It's the annoyed growl behind him that awakens him, remembering where he is, he jolts up but is cut off short by the grip around him.

_Beep. Beep._

This situation is strangely familiar and it only takes him a moment to remember that he has been in this position before, though he doesn't know if he felt more threatened back then or now.

The dragon again lets out a noise of aggravation at the constant beeping.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

"L-Let me go, I'll turn it off." The boy reasons and surprisingly the other male does after squeezing him tightly for a moment, which he doesn't question.

It is mercy to both his ears and Bakura's when he rushes over to his pallet on the floor and turns off the watch's alarm, a cheap substitute for the alarm clock the dragon had broken, the clock had been much nicer, it played music.

With this given chance Ryou grabs his uniform and leaves, rushing to the bathroom to get ready for the day. A room that's supposedly known for privacy isn't private for long, the dragon walking in on him just as he finished getting dressed, the lock still broken from a few days ago. He tries to ignore the other, going to brush his hair while the beast takes a piss beside him unreserved.

"If it wasn't for you having to brush your hair we might be able to sleep longer," Bakura tells him as he zips his pants up, the teen just nods not removing chocolate eyes from the ones reflecting in the mirror, "Should I cut it off? Then maybe you won't look so much like a woman."

Ryou stops at that, looking over at the other to try and tell if he is being serious or not, he has to avert his eyes again though, unable to take the intense gaze the dragon is giving him.

"I-I'm going to be late," Ryou changes the subject dropping the brush and leaving the bathroom.

It's obvious to Bakura that his tamer is avoiding him, maybe the child isn't as stupid as he first thought, maybe he can sense his intentions.

"Bakura, it's time to go!" The boy calls.

Every day since the day at Marik's Bakura walks Ryou to school, never in a pleasant mood that he has to wake up with the teen. Like most mornings the trip is silent other for the dragon's complaints and grumbles, until Ryou is grabbed by the shoulder, forced to stop.

"What's wro-"

"Quiet." Bakura growls, lifting his face up a bit as if trying to smell, then grabbing his tamer's hand he starts to run.

"Ah! Wai-"

"Run." The grip on that delicate hand is painful, but there is no way away from it so Ryou is forced to run in a pace he can't keep. Too quickly the dragged-along loses his breath, his arm feeling as if it's going to be yanked out of his socked, but the dragon doesn't give him a break, and then he falls. "Get up!"

"You know that's useless," the two white-headed boys look up at the new voice, a tall guy a few feet away," You won't get away."

"Damn half-breed, what are you pulling?" The half breed doesn't answer just starts to walk towards, though he's not the only one, people out of nowhere are also walking towards them, people wearing dark cloaks hiding their faces. "Get up, Ryou."

The boy scrambles to do what he's told, looking about worriedly, that's when he notices there are no normal people on the streets and this is a busy road.

"Wh-what's happening?"

"Get up," Bakura yanks the child to his feet, looking more and more aggravated. He looks as if he's getting ready to run, but that idea seems to fly out the window when the approaching cloaked figures take out the pendants around their necks, Ryou recognizes those gems, the blue crystals from the cave glimmer in the night. Bakura growls, it's loud and inhuman, then slowly scales start to appear on his skin, the silver scales rivaling the blue gems in beauty. Soon they are completely surrounded, over a fifty of these cloaked people making a perfect circle around them.

Ryou feels weak.

"Better ease up on the kid, you'll suck him dry." The half-breed warns, the man has the coldest blue eyes Ryou has ever seen. "They want the kid."

Hands reach out towards Ryou but his dragon pushes him back by swinging deadly claws and growling warningly, though his movements seem to be slow and clumsy, like he's drunk. As effected as Bakura seems by the blue crystals the other dragon (half-dragon) doesn't seem effected in the least.

"You, you're familiar, child of Seth and Kisara," Bakura says after looking at the other, "your mother was a traitor so how fitting you are, too."

"Don't speak of my bloodline." The blue-eyed male growls back, but at that point it's too late, the silver dragon is passed out on his tamer, his body completely covered by the silver scales.

With the dragon out of the way everyone is grabbing at the defenseless Ryou, grabbing at his limbs, clothes, and even hair as if they are trying to rip him apart. He tries to fight, kicking, scratching, and biting, but they subdue him by force he is pressed down into the ground until his arms are restrained.

"Stop! Let me go!" He cries, and pleads. "Help!"

Nobody helps him, there is nobody there to help him. When he is dragged away Bakura is left where he passed out and the half dragon walks away without batting an eye.

...

Shit is about to get real! I know you got questions and I got answers, so just hang on and I'll try to get it out as soon as I can.


	12. Chapter Twelve

Hmm... I don't really know if this chapter is exactly important, even though elements of it are, I just don't like the whole blank space in between being captured and being imprisoned. Necessary or not I hope you enjoy it.

To my spectacular reviewers:

**Guest** – I'm sorry that I made you wait so long, I try to update once a month.

**Imreallyboredrightnow **– I'm glad you thought so; I get really subconscious about my work sometimes. I'm sorry it took so long for this chapter.

**Lazy Gaga **– I know, I know, and sadly this chapter probably won't give you all the answers you are looking for, next chapter is where all the good stuff is at, but don't worry I'm already half through with that :) Shouldn't be long now.

**randomismyname13 **– I sorry I took so long, but look an update!

**A fan **– Thank you, I don't really think my work is THAT good, but I'm glad you think so. I try to make the descriptions easy to read but sometimes I feel like I fail, so thank you for reassuring me. I'm sorry that it took so long to update and I hope you enjoy the new chapter.

**Tjay M** – Well, I guess this, lol, I hope you enjoy.

**Albino Shadowz **– All your little reviews made me very happy, thank you. I cannot believe I would be an inspiration to you; you are too good of a writer though I am glad you like my work. A naked Bakura is the best Bakura and what is a story without a little gore? Ryou does seem to get molested and almost raped a lot, it's because he's just so cute and super sweet I wouldn't torture him so much if he wasn't such a good boy (isn't that wrong?). "Get your hands off of the Brit. *Hisses*" Lol, that was good. Everything will be tied up in the end I swear :)

Disclaimer: I used to say all I own is the laptop I type on, but at this point I don't even own that, lol, but seriously I don't own Yugioh, any of it's characters, and I don't get paid to write this (sadly).

Silver Scales

Ryou winces when the bright light assaults his eyes, blinking furiously to adjust, before he is yanked out of the trunk none gently, hissing as his aching muscles are forced to work. It feels like he's been in that trunk for ages, it was only slightly better than the closet.

"L-let go!" He growls as he's roughly manhandled, a bruising grip dragging him by the arm. "B-Bastard!" A yelp follows the insult as he is thrown forward, landing on his face because his hands are tied up behind him.

"Fucking, little shit," the one that thrown him growls, but he doesn't do anything else, just sits aside and watches the boy struggle to get up. The captive thinks this may be his chance, but what the guy was waiting for comes too soon, two more cloaked figures. He is grabbed by the two new attackers, one grabbing each arm, while the other mysterious guy leaves.

"Wh-where are you t-taking me?" He asks, there is no answer. "What do you want?" He cries but as he is dragged along he is ignored. They are in the middle of nowhere, in some woods, where could they be dragging him? He finds out soon enough, hearing water in the distance the victim knows that it's growing closer and then he's sees it, along with the boat that is tied up at the coast. "No!" The teen freaks, "I can't swim!" He struggles like his life depends on it, terrified of water.

"Shit, hold him still," one of his captors finally speak and lets him go, Ryou tries to use this to his advantage but when he increases his exertion the remaining man puts him to the ground, pinning him.

"Sh, it'll be ok." The guy keeping him down soothes.

"Liar!" Ryou cries trying to shake him off, "liar!"

"Here use this," he can hear the one say that is still standing, while the other tries to assure him with false promises.

"Swallow this, it'll make you feel better," a pill is pressed to his closed lips, he turns away from it, his face put to the ground instead, sand going up his nose. "I don't want to hurt you, kid, take the pill."

"N-no, I w-won't fight, please d-don't make me," he shakes his head, it is much better to be aware of his surroundings than not, he doesn't want to take anything they're giving him. "Ple-please, I'll be good."

The man seems to consider his submission before getting to his feet.

"Ok, but you better be good." He is again pulled to his feet, trying to keep himself composed but he can feel the tears come with the helplessness. "We're going to put this over your head, for your own good, you fight and you have to take the medicine," Ryou reluctantly nods, biting his lip to keep back the sob as the hood is put over his head, again turning his world dark.

Getting in the boat is the only time Ryou isn't trying to get away, blind and afraid, he is trying to get as close to his captors as he can, pressing against ones side and whimpering when the boat shifts under their weight. They couldn't tear him away until he's safely seated, then he is back to trying to cling with no hands when the engine starts and the boat moves, glad that one of them sits down beside him.

"You should leave that brat alone," the one not sitting beside him, the one driving the boat, nags. "He's a dragon tamer."

"He's just a kid." The one beside him defends, "plus he's so pathetic, it's cute."

Ryou hates to be talked about like that, but he's not going to say anything, not till he gets off this death trap. He would hate to admit it, but the hood actually helps, if he didn't have it he would find himself looking at the water, if he looked at the water he would panic, if he panicked he would be drugged. Every time the distressed boy calms himself the boat rocks unnervingly making him all crazy again until he exhausts himself and ends up laying down instead of sitting, unsure if his eyes are opened or closed.

"Time to wake up kid," Ryou groans when he's shaken, he can't believe he fell asleep. "Come on." He is pulled up by his upper arm, again sticking real close to the cloaked men as he blindly exits the boat, glad to be back on solid land.

"Wh-where are we?" the teen asks groggily, wishing he could see, but the hood is made of thick material, making it hot and unbearable, along with keeping him completely oblivious. "Please, let me see."

"It's just for a little longer, we're almost there," the kinder (not kind seeing as he is assisting in his kidnapping, but still kinder than the other) man tells him, though it isn't very reassuring. He thinks about fighting, he wants to fight, yet he knows it will do no good, because where would he go, back on the boat? He will cooperate for now and keep a stable mind.

A shudder goes through the bound and blind boy when the air suddenly grows chilly a sharp contrast to the heat a moment ago, their feet tapping against hard floor instead of the soft grass, he's inside.

"This is goodbye, kid." Ryou is released by the two guys; he has again turned hands, another person grabbing him not so gently by the back of the neck, "good luck."

"W-wait!" It's sad how he already grown to rely on the one person that's been nice to him, "Stop."

The boy tries to shake the cruel hand off him, but the pressure there just increases.

"Ow!" Ryou cries, "you're hurting me!" The person doesn't seem to care in the least, harshly frog marching the resisting teen with ease. It seems to get colder the more they walk, the air feeling damp, he doesn't like this and it only get worse when they start going down, the teen tripping over himself walking down the stairs. "Pl-please, let g-go."

The boy's wish is soon granted, the rope around his wrist is loosened to the point of falling off before he is pushed forward, hardly catching himself with a hiss. He jerks the hood off and turns just in time to see an iron bared door shut with a large slam, the one who manhandled him briskly walking away.

"Fuck," he groans, moving to inspect his aching wrist, the skin is rubbed raw.

"Ar-are you ok?" The teen jolts at the small voice, whipping his head in all directions to find the source, the lighting is made up of lit torches, _like a bad vampire movie_, Ryou thinks, but finally he spots the little boy in the cell next door, curled in a corner.

"Who are you?" Ryou asks instead of answering the child's question.

"I'm Mokuba Kaiba," _Mokuba_, that name sounds familiar, very familiar in fact. He swears he heard that name before and suddenly it hits him, that's the millionaire's brother! School was gossiping all about it. "Who are you?"

"I'm Ryou Bakura," The teen stands up to make his way to the bars separating the two, stretching out his sore muscles beforehand, "what are you doing here?"

"Are you a tamer?" Mokuba ignores his question.

"Y-yeah, I guess, you?"

"No." If he's not a tamer than why was he kidnapped? These are so very obviously the dragon hunters. "I'm a hostage."

"Hostage?"

"They're using me to get to Seto," _Seto?_ Ryou wants to question but doesn't, he can hear the tears in the boy's voice, he feels awful. He shouldn't be questioning a kid in this state, having to deal with these conditions, he should be comforting him.

"D-don't worry, everything will be ok," It's such a terrible lie that the one saying it can't even convince himself, of course it's not going to be ok.

"It's not!" the child cries, "They're gonna force him to find all the dragons and then.." the sentence is broken off by a high pitched whine, though by that reaction Ryou feels like he knows in which direction the sentence is going.

"This Seto guy, isn't he a dragon? They can't kill him if he's a dragon." The teen baselessly assumes, because he doesn't know what else to do to comfort the child. The words don't seem to reach the other, instead of an answer all there is are sobs.

For a long time Mokuba cries and as long as he cries Ryou tries to comfort, with false hopes and dreams, but it seems to do no good, he wishes he could reach out to the younger, maybe that would help.

"Seto isn't a full blooded dragon," The boy says out of nowhere when his cries have died down and his breathing had evened. "He doesn't need a tamer or get weakened by the hunters crystal, but he is easy to kill."

_Not weakened by the crystal and not full blood_, the image of the tall man with ice cold eyes and chestnut hair comes to mind, _child of Seth and Kisara_, he was there when he was kidnapped, _forced to find all the dragons._ Bakura had called him a traitor, yet the man had a good reason.

"I'm not even his real b-brother," Mokuba continues to tell his tale without prodding, he just wants to talk, to get it all out, Ryou understands that completely. "I was all alone and he came to me-"Another sob, "he said we were brothers in another life, he took me in." Again the boy cries, his self-loathing obvious.

"It sounds like he must care for you a lot, he came looking for you," Ryou again comforts, but now he knows his words are not empty, "Your brother doesn't blame you for this, I'm sure of it, he must have just been happy you were there with you."

Mokuba doesn't deny or accept what he's being told.

"Let's not give up yet, at least for now we got each other," The teen puts up an optimistic face, though he's not sure how long he's going to be able to give the kid company, _"-dragon hunters and if they find you they will complete the spell and ultimately kill you.-" _Who knows when his timely death will come.

The two captives spend the rest of their day.. night? There is no way to tell time with no windows or clocks and with his face covered when he got here he couldn't even guess the time. They spend the rest of their waking time first eating the meal they were fed, surprisingly decent and then talking, about dragons, siblings, and oddly enough games. Mokuba had even come out of his corner to sit beside Ryou, both leaning against the bars on opposite sides, the contact is calming.

…

It is the noise that wakes Bakura from his forced slumber, when he opens his eyes he sees he is still surrounded, though these aren't the hunters, these are normal humans whispering and gawking around him.. and Ryou is nowhere in sight. The dragon hops up in a rage, the humans scream and some scatter, they have every right to fear and admire him, the silver scales still covering his body shining in the sun like precious stones. The ones that are stupid enough to huddle around him, snapping pictures and taking videos, are quick to annoy him and are the brunt of his anger, his claws slashing out and connecting.

The dragon goes through humans like an eating champion goes through hotdogs, staining the roads red as he searches for the host he knows is gone.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Well this chapter took much longer than I anticipated, when I thought I was half way through I was actually only a quarter of the way, and I noticed some mistakes from the last chapter as well that I'm just going to have to roll with. So, though this chapter isn't exactly what I wished it to be, I still hope you like it and I'm very sorry for my tardiness.

To my extraordinary reviewers:

**Lazy Gaga - **BAKURA ANGRY! Sorry, just watched Avengers, destructive anger reminded me of hulk. More questions in this chapter with no answers, I'm starting to think I'm a script writer for lost, but I promise everything has a reason and I will tie up everything in the end with a big pretty bow!

**ilovemanicures -** As a dedicated fangirl myself I know that you can't always be there, as much as we just want to be alone with our anime/fanfiction/AMV the real world just keeps pulling us away and of course the dreaded laptop troubles (I've suffered many of those), so it's fine, just glad to hear from you again ^_^. Transitions are hard, as much as I wish it they just aren't as fluent as I wish, but as time passes I hope to get better. Lucky number 13 may not be so lucky, just more building... so much building - but the higher you build a domino tower the funner it is to watch it fall, right? Thank you for all your support ^_^.

**Rio 2.0 - **When I saw your profile picture all I could think was that Pedobear was after my sweet, underage Ryou, I was gonna cry, but if you're just here to enjoy the story I'm glad, thank you for putting me on your alert, and I hope I don't disappoint.

**Albino Shadowz** - Bakura doesn't deal with people very well, I would suggest anger management but I don't think he'd take it too well. I'm glad you liked the chapter though it definitely and this one isn't either, but fourteen will be good, fourteen is going to be the chapter to see... I hope, if things turn out like planned.

**SelfcreatedCharacter - **If I told you all that it would kind of ruin the story, I know it may all seem a little unclear now, but I promise all answers will be answered... not in this chapter, but they will be.

**Pharaoh Silver** - Thank you ^_^**  
><strong>

**sierraphantom **- I'm glad that you like it ^_^

**Dragons-Awesome - **I like your name, I f*$#ing love dragons! I'm glad you like my writing.

**nearcreature **- Yep, yep! Bakura and Ryou! Was always going to be them, I just like to play around with other shippings a bit.

Silver Scales

Ryou is woken none too kindly by the sound of screeching hinges, it splits through his drowsy mind like a chisel through a soft peach making him groan and stir. Then he nearly has a heart attack when he realizes the man looming over him, shuffling more into the bars behind him, but it doesn't save him from the man's grasp, he is firmly grabbed by the arm.

"Wh-What are you doing?!" Mokuba cries from his cell, obviously wakened as well by either the fierce noise, struggle, or having his heater taken away, the two sleeping close last night for warmth and comfort only separated by the bars.

"-Shut up-," the large man growls while he manhandles the dazed teen, pulling him out of the cell.

When he's pulled out of the cage Ryou begins to panic, his breath catching in his throat and heart hammering against his chest, is this it? Is he going to die this soon? He begins to struggle, yanking and kicking out at the large man, but it seems to have no effect as he is thrown into another cell, just across from the one he was originally put in across the thin aisle.

The boy lets out a sigh of relief when he is left alone in his new cell, almost crying in his relief. The man not only leaves him in his new cage alone he walks out of the… dungeon (for lack of any other word).

"Ryou, are you ok?" the child's calls.

"Y-yeah," he answers, still a little shaken up, "that was weird."

Anything else that would have been said is silenced when the brute returns, the teen scrambling to the back of his cage by instinct more than anything else, les the man come after him again for whatever reason.

This time though Ryou is ignored, instead it is Mokuba's prison that is opened, and too late does he notice the tray in the guy's hand. It is food; it is time to eat. Food sounds good right now. There is no food for him though; the only plate is dropped down in the child's cell along with a mug of water. Ryou is brought something other than food and it isn't just dropped off, the large man enters his cage with something he only seen in comics and movies… an elaborate goblet.

The boy instantly tries to back away from the approaching brute until he finds he has nowhere else to run, his back is against the wall.

"-You will drink this, all of it.-" The looming figure is so close that he can smell his foul breath and yet he still can't see his face, the dark cloak that all these hunters seem fond of and the lack of sufficient lighting makes it seem as if there is no face at all, just a black hole. "-Do _not_ spill it.-"

The goblet is thrust into his hands; the liquid sloshing inside though doesn't go over the lip. He looks down at the silver cup, heavy in his hands, carved into every centimeter of the metal, silver maybe, is symbols that he doesn't understand but is familiar, from the cave and four of those beautiful blue crystals, _hunters crystal_, are embedded in the surface all equally spaced around the goblet. Then there is what is inside, the liquid is such a deep red that it is almost black and it is thick... he doesn't know what it is, but he has a pretty good guess, poison.

It is obvious that the boy is reluctant to drink it, though he can basically feel the man's impatience in front of him and knows he has no choice; at least this is a dignified death… He brings the goblet to his lips.

As soon as the taste of metal touches his tongue he knows what this is, blood, he drops the goblet in his shock, spitting the repulsive liquid out. When the metal hits the floor it chimes almost beautifully as its contents spill, staining grey crimson and then he is on the ground beside it, his jaw aching and the taste of blood renewed only this time it's his own blood.

"Ah!" Ryou cries out when he's kicked in the gut, curling into himself to try to block the next blow. The kicks keep on coming though, the man obviously not taking his disobedience well, beating him till his whole body aches.

"-Stop it!-" Mokuba yells from his cell, "-Leave him alone!-"

The harsh treatment lasts a few more minutes before the man finally stops his assault, bends down to grab the goblet and makes his exit without a word. Ryou lies there curled in his pain.

"Ryou?" Mokuba calls unsurely after a moment, he sounds scared and alone. "Ar-are you alright, Ryou?"

"Yeah." It's a lie, he's been lying a lot lately. The truth is every small move he makes is unbearable, even breathing a chore, and yet he's had worse, much worse so maybe this is bearable. "This is nothing."

…

Bakura doesn't even know where he's at now, somewhere high on a building, just to get away from the noise, those metal monsters with the flashing lights screaming at him in some foreign language. In the back in his mind he can sense a name to those wailing beasts, yet it seems so far away… Everything seems so far, his mind fuzzy.

It's because his host is so far away, it seems their connection is only held by a thread making him feel weak, even when he tries to concentrate his hardest he can barely grasp onto Ryou's presence, he can dully sense his fear and his pain, but he can't find him. He can't even begin to fathom where his little tamer could be.

He sits here high above the city, looking out at the pathetic humans like ants and he knows this isn't going to help, he's going to have to come up with a plan. His best bet would to be to search for that traitorous half-breed.

…

Ryou lies in the same spot for what he is sure is half the day, he and Mokuba had spoken for a good while at first but it seems that the younger sensed how hard that was on him, even through his lies, so their stories have died down into mutual silence.

It is after more food is brought (lunch maybe or really it is already dinner time, do they give three meals a day?), but not for him just for Mokuba again, that he decides to move. His movements are sluggish and it feels like hours till he's finally in a sitting position, scooting back into the wall for support.

"Why don't you get food?" the little one across the way asks him, though it seems to be partly to himself, still Ryou answers.

"I don't know." Punishment? Torture? They're low on supply? The boy doesn't deserve the bitter sarcasm so he keeps it to himself, but he really doesn't know what the hunters are thinking. Being here is like walking on eggshells, but worse, he's not walking, just sitting here putting all his pressure on the same shells, just waiting for them to break beneath him. "But, I'm not even hungry."

He doesn't know if it's from the abuse or the lack of food but he soon finds himself in a deep sleep, one that isn't penetrated by Mokuba's calls or any other noise. He isn't woken up till much later by being throttled.

"Ouch," the boy hisses, trying to groggily roll away from the harsh grip on his shoulder, then he is shaken again. "Wha-" And suddenly it all comes back to him, he jolts awake, eyes open to look at that black hole that replaces a face, it makes him feel sick, too bad his stomach is empty.

"-Drink it-," then that goblet, the same as yesterday, is shoved in his face blocking his view.

Ryou shakes his head weakly, he doesn't want to, he quickly regrets that decision when a fist rams into the side of his face, making him cry out as agony takes over that whole side, his teeth sinking into the soft skin of his cheek and the back of his head knocks against the wall making that hurt as well.

"-Drink it-," the man urges again and this time he doesn't refuse, he reaches for the elaborate cup taking it in shaky hands, fuck it, he was so willing to drink poison, why not blood? It's not like his mouth doesn't already taste like it from his cut cheek and split lip.

Taking a deep breath he tips the cup against his lips and chugs as much as can, taking three or four big gulps before finally pulling the goblet away from his lips gasping in fresh (as fresh as he has) air while his face scrunches up in disgust. After a moment of panting for a moment he notices something… odd. There's a tingling in his mouth that turns into a subtle familiar burning, then his entire body is stinging until he is beginning to heal starting with his mouth and then slowly the rest of his body.

"-Finish it.-" The man before him orders.

He looks down at the goblet, nearly finished, and he feels a hundred times better; he can do this. The rest of the thick liquid is taken like a shot before the teen thrusts the cup back into the hunters hand a little too cockily, though the guy (or very butch woman) doesn't seem to mind, just gets up to leave.

When alone in his cell Ryou gets up and stretches, feeling better than he has in weeks, the teen had felt so terrible for so long that he had forgotten what it felt like not to. The only thing that doesn't feel amazing is his still empty stomach.

"Are you ok, Ryou?"

"Yeah, I feel fine," He finally gets to answer that question truthfully, for the moment he is perfectly fine. "Mokuba…" the teen hesitates to ask about this, yet who else could he ask? "Do you know why they- why they give me blood?"

"Give you blood? I don't know what you mean," And why would he?

"Never mind," the teen tells him with a defeated sigh; he will have to try that brute, though he doubts he will get many answers.

His stomach growls, maybe now that he has done what he was told he will be given food.

"Let's play a game," Ryou suggests and that is how the two spent many of the hours, playing word games, Ryou taught him games from his country while Mokuba taught him his favorites and then when they ran out of games they talked about games, they are both pretty large gamers (though mainly in different fields) so they had much to debate.

This is the only time Ryou is excited when that ugly, he likes to imagine the other as ugly, hunter walks in, he can smell the food coming in and it smells good. He has to force himself from rushing the cell door like a puppy thrilled at its masters return, the Brit still has his dignity. No, patiently he waits for Mokuba to get his food first, even though his cell is closer to the door, and then does he await his food… The person walks right passed his cage empty handed, not even sparing him a glance.

"-Wait!-" the hungry teen cries, though he's ignored, "-where's mine?-" He sinks dejectedly onto the ground from his standing position, sliding with his back against the rough floor. Hope is kept for a while, thinking maybe, just maybe, that the brute would return… He had done what they wanted. He drank the blood.

"Ryou," The teen flinches at the call of his younger companion, a surge of jealousy running through him at just the thought of the fed child but he quickly beats it down with a bat of shame. "Ryou, here." Through his bars he can see across the hall a small hand reaching out to him, clutched in the fingers is something that is akin to a roll.

"Mokuba…" There are no words that could describe how he feels, a part of him wants to deny the food but he is so hungry and he is moved that the other is thinking of him especially after his brief outburst of shameful emotion. Not knowing what to say he gets up to accept the food, reaching through his own bars to reach, though no matter how hard either of them try their hands would never meet. With a flick of the wrist the bread is tossed, every worry in the world passes through Ryou's mind before the food is caught with a relieved sigh, a small smile coming to the pale boy's lips. "Thank you, Mokuba."

The two eat in a comfortable silence, the bread not entirely enough to satisfy the older's hunger but he doesn't ask for more, after all Mokuba is still a growing boy.

Talk follows the meal until sleep takes over.

…

The dragon had searched and searched but the half-breed is nowhere around, it's like he disappeared in thin air which is quite a talent with that scent. If he had the time he would look for days, for weeks, or months, but that isn't the case, any moment could be his last.

Bakura is not exactly sure why he isn't dead at this exact moment, but he's sure it isn't because of lack of trying. Binding the two must be a complicated act, that is good, being bound to a human itself is insulting, but in this case it is his life. He must find Ryou before their souls are shackled… even if it means he will have to seek unsavory help.

…

It is the first time Ryou has woke up before the hunter had shown up, just waiting for them much like yesterday, the growling of his own stomach keeping him awake.

There is no way to tell time in here, but it would make sense that it is now morning, his sleep schedule shouldn't have changed even though he can't see, so they only get fed twice a day, well Mokuba gets fed twice a day, and the blood is given to him once a day... How many days is he going to live like this?

His young companion is a good distraction from such thoughts, but with him sleeping it nags at him, the looming death and unorthodox treatment. Oddly enough it doesn't make him feel sad, scared and slightly angry, maybe even a bit hollow, but not sad; deep down he just hasn't excepted what is going to happen... somewhere in him there is still some childish hope.

Bakura does not want to die, though he cannot rely on the beast to save him of the kindness of his black heart, he can count on the dragon's own love for himself. He will not die here, because Bakura will not let him. How odd he now thinks of his tormentor as his savoir is this irony?

Those thoughts are chased away by the door to the "dungeon" opening, no matter how much Ryou thinks of it as that it just seems silly, as if he were in a bad fan-fiction. As always the large hunter walks past his cell, great a bad prison story or worse old west themed, the thought makes him shudder, and the food from the trey is put in Mokuba's cell, the boy now awake from the noise, along with the glass of water before the teen's cell is targeted.

The boy is on his feet before the man gets there, close to the wall but not so much so that he is cornered, things are gonna be different today.

The brute extends the drink to him, not giving his usual order because he knows that Ryou knows what he wants, but what about what the teen wants? What about his needs? He knows even to himself he sounds like a disgruntled wife, but he can't continue to take this, something has to give.

"-I'm hungry-," He tells the hunter, more than just tells him, those words are underlined with demand, you give me what I want I give you what you want.

The hooded monster doesn't say a word only advances on the much smaller person and just as soon as the boy was feeling courages was he all too afraid again, he wants to step back but then he'd be cornered and that is even more frightening so he instead side steps.

"-I-I won't drink it-," Ryou stubbornly decides, continuing to avoid the bulky being chasing after him, he has an advantage seeing as the other is concentrating on not spilling the drink in his hand, "-Not until you tell me why.. o-or food.-"

Obviously not one for negotiation the hunter charges the smaller one and in his shock Ryou forgets to move, his back painfully meeting the concrete, but in this move the goblet was dropped.

The boy is beaten till he can hardly move, but he feels accomplished.

…

The dragon waits patiently outside the gate, if you call scowling and cursing at every moment it takes longer to meet with the one he came for patient. Glaring at this accursed child prison, he would have hunted the other down to his home, but that lizard has always been good with magic and must have hidden his scent, so he will wait here… or maybe he will soon lose his patience and drag the other out by force.

Just as soon as the thought crosses his mind does the bell ring for the student's release. Bakura had grown accustomed to waiting in this spot, looking for his tamer, the boy was easy to spot with hair like fresh snow, a color both rare in the past and present… The one he's looking for has pretty outstanding hair as well, those colorful spikes ridicules. As outrages that hairdo is Bakura cannot spot it and he almost loses hope before a shrimp stumbles out of the large crowd of students, a very familiar little brat.

"-You.-"

"-You!-" They both say at the same time but in completely different ways, the dragon in conformation and the tamer in shock. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"-I am looking for your dragon, where is he?-"

"-He's not here-," Obviously the boy can see the beast's displeasure at his news because he steps back his eyes roaming to the side just like Ryou's did when he's about to dart, so he is grabbed by his upper arm almost painfully.

"-Then you will take me to him-," It was not a question or a conversation, it's an order.

"-I-I can't!-" Yugi tries to protest, but it looks as the other isn't taking no for an answer, those cruel eyes boring down on him. He wishes that someone would take the time to notice his distress, but that doesn't happen, he might as well be as invisible as air. "-He went back to sleep.-"

A surge of rage takes over Bakura at that information and Yugi is the one to suffer the consequences, his arm being crushed in the dragon's cruel grip.

"-Take me to him.-"

"-No-ah!-" The grip on the teen's arm tightened even more too where he swears he can feel the bone splinter, no isn't an accepted answer, "-O-ok, please!-" He lets out a sigh of relief when he's finally released, cupping the sore appendage defensively.

As much as Yugi wishes to take back what he said he knows he can't, sure that it wouldn't be taken too well. So unwillingly he leads the way in hopes that Atem will know what to do when they get there.

Bakura is surprised that he isn't led to the woods or something similar as where he was awaken, but to a game shop. He is led through it to a door in the back where there is a set of steep stairs, what a clever hiding spot.

Down, down, down they go, the stairs seem to take you straight to the core of the earth, not ending anytime soon, but everything that begins must end eventually. The room that they come to isn't as roomy as the silver's old cell, the whole thing taken up by a giant mass of amethyst scales. The presence of the two has the sleeping dragon and soon Bakura is looking into a large, purple eye; the beast growls.

"-What are you doing here?-"

Bakura doesn't answer for the longest time, even though he had prepared himself for this it still makes his stomach sour, he takes a deep breath, "-I need your help-"

"-I broke my contract and even if I hadn't I don't want to get involved in your problems.-"

"-This isn't just my problem, this is Ryou's problem. You are on the side of the human's aren't you Atem?-"

"-S-so it's true! They have Ryou?!" Yugi interjects, face showing his obvious concern.

"-They do-" Bakura tells him calmly, finding his new target; this human should be much easier to convince, "And you know as well as I that they will kill him, unless we do something.-"

"-The contract is broken, there is nothing we can do-" Just as it looks as if the twerp is going to agree his dragon cuts in, his teeth bared as if even talking to the short tamer is stepping the line; the purple dragon has always been sentimental and possessive, makes Bakura want to keep up the conversation to piss his old enemy off, but he has to get on his good side.

"-Restore it.-"

"-Impossible, I don't have the energy to do such a thing.-"

"-I'll loan you my strength.-"

"-I won't put Yugi in danger.-"

"-I want to do it! I want to save Ryou!-" Yugi tells him, fist clenched and face set in grim determination. Bakura knows he wins; Atem is backed into a corner.

…

Ryou thought he won earlier, but he was wrong. When Mokuba is brought his second meal of the day he is also brought the goblet of blood, but this time the brute isn't alone, another cloaked figure is by his side. As much as he struggles he is outnumbered and forced to choke down the metallic juice.

Days pass like this and the more time passes the more desperate and angry Ryou gets, though it does no good the more he struggles the more men come to restrain him. If he swallows it all they leave him be, but if just a little gets in his mouth but he refuses more he is beaten before being left, if he miraculous manages to avoid it at all they return to him later to try again: whatever the reason he has to drink it all or it is useless to them. When they found out Mokuba was sneaking him food, by a roll that didn't get quite thrown far enough and rested on the floor between cells, the thrashing was much worse than any before and he willing drank every last drop of the blood given to him just to stop the aches, from then on he was restrained. They are trying to break him and every day they get closer to doing so, he wants to give up.

The sound of the door opening makes the teen flinch, that noise is enough to make him want to cry like Pavlov's dog hungers at the sound of a bell, he's afraid of the pain… maybe today he will just submit, he is so tired. He feels even too tired to glare at them today, they left him hanging here from the ceiling by his arms all night, it's safe to say there was no real sleep so he is now starved and exhausting, still he looks up to see the approaching doom, and that's when he notices something different.

Ryou's fighting has got him made it to where four people have to come and restrain him, they are not always the same four, but there has never been any more and decidedly no less, today there is five and this fifth is not like the others. There is a very subtle difference about this newcomer, like the others he is wearing a dark cloak of blue that hides his face, Ryou has nightmares of faceless men, but this cloak has great, contrasting white around the rim of it's hood… a sign of status, maybe? It has the teen tense with anticipation, his eyes locked onto the different figure as it approaches, and then shockingly the person is reaching up to pull off his hood.

The faceless man is no longer faceless, but Ryou wishes he still was...

* * *

><p>Those last two periods were added last minute, that's what you call writing skills, lol.<p> 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

The holidays, they're hell. Originally this was going to be a much longer chapter because even I am getting tired of not putting everything out there and I wanted it to end within the next three chapters, but not only would it take too long to put out I also think how long the chapter would have been would have ruined the flow, so I cut the chapter in half, luckily some explanation does happen in this chapter though, yay!

To my extraordinary reviewers:

**KrazynKuki **- I never stay gone for long :)

****Albino Shadowz**** - Angst is what I do best, for better or worse, but don't worry those two will be saved... eventually. I know Bakura working with Atem and Yugi?! I did check out my window for flying pigs today, they must be hiding from me. The blood thing will be explained in this chapter along with our mysterious new guest, enjoy. :D

**SelfcreatedCharacter** - I've watched too much old anime, lol, totally read your review as one of those nineties anime narrators to tune in next time. Glad you liked it.

****Pharaoh Silver** - **I didn't know I could do that well, I'm glad you liked it and hope you enjoy this one just as much.

**00Midnight00** - I can't tell if you're trying to be reassuring or evil with that evil laugh at the end, but either way is cool, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

**sierraphantom **- I'm sorry I made you wait so long, but wait no longer for this chapter... though I think it'll make you cry again :(

**ilovemanicures** - You know you love the completely terrible suspense ;) I'll try not to do it too often though. This chapter has another good bit of Atem/Yugi/Bakura action (not _that_ kind of action, lol), some sweet Mokuba, and will answer some of those questions, so I hope you like it :) :)

Silver Scales

"No," the word drops from Ryou's mouth before he can even think about stopping it, whole body frozen in shock and disbelief as he watches the man before him brush silver hair from his face, the side of his lips quirking up into a cool smirk.

"You have been causing quite a commotion these past few days," The tone the other uses is nothing but amusement and it makes the immobile teen want to run and to cry, but he is too petrified to even struggle, tears not even willing to come he is too afraid, just shaking in the chains that hold him up in the standing position, a position that doesn't even allow him to defend himself. "When I heard the rumors I knew instantly it was you, it's been so long, but you haven't changed a bit."

The boy regains the ability to move again when a hand reaches for his face, chains rattling loudly as he aggressively flinches away from the touch. _Lies!_ Ryou screams but only in his own mind, glaring at the other, it hasn't been long at all since he last saw this horrible man, only a few months which isn't long enough, the first person that spoke to him in his language in this country (not like now where Bakura, Marik, and even Mokuba speak to him in English) and they were all lies.

"So cold, Ryou, is this how you treat your old teacher?"

The teenager doesn't dignify that question with an answer, disgusted by it, instead he forces himself to ask the question that's been running through his mind since that face was revealed, that terrible, familiar face.

"Why are you here, Pegasus?" His voice is shaky but it holds every ounce of loath his tired body can produce.

"Tsk." The older male makes a displeased noise at his old pupil's mannerism, face set in one of disappointment before he lets out a long sigh and relaxes once again. "I came to see my old student, of course."

Ryou jerks at the chains once more in an effort to escape when again that hand reaches for him, the sound oddly loud in this quiet room- nobody has made a sound but Pegasus and himself, not even Mokuba who intently watches from his own prison, he can't escape the fingers that tug at his filthy hair, _he's messing with me… This doesn't make any sense!_

"You were such a sweet boy, now look at you?" The older man hums thoughtfully, "Then again I found out myself how feisty you can be."

"You're disgusting."

_ 'Thwap!'_

Ryou is in such shock at the sudden hit that he doesn't even cry out, he sits there dumbstruck with his head turned to the side the force of the strike so hard, the rocking of the chains and his stinging cheek proof that it did just happen.

"Don't be rude, Ryou, we are not in school anymore," Pegasus tells him, the man has never been violent towards him, not even when… To be struck by him feels like betrayal, but didn't that already happen? Physically the pain is low compared to all that's happened to him these past days, yet it's the most crushing, maybe because he thought there was still a line to not be crossed, there are no lines here – he isn't even human to these people. He's just a tool.

The child flinches when he sees the hand come towards his face and squeezes his eyes closed in fear, but instead of hurting him fingers grip his chin and he doesn't struggle when he is turned to face his old teacher, opening his big, brown eyes to look back at him.

"I hate to mar that pretty face," cold fingers move up from the teen's delicate chin to his reddened cheek, "It seems even the men have come to avoid hitting you here, this cute face has them just as enthralled as I have been, you should hear what they say about you; if it weren't for rules against it these men would have ruined you by now."

Ryou shivers in disgust, he doesn't need it to be spelled out what Pegasus is talking about, and now he won't be able to go through the days without feeling the disgusting intentions of the hunters, without being conscious of their every touch, without feeling their eyes roam over his defenseless body. The hoods that they wear were a blessing for hiding these sickening thought from Ryou, but now they seem all the more heinous than before, not knowing when he unintentionally pleases their disturbed whims.

"I should have been more forceful when you weren't a tamer," Pegasus sighs sadly, "If I could go back now I would push you down as soon as I was certain, but you were just too cute and so reliant on me, I was certain in time you would be the one to come to me; I got quite the scolding for lingering after my assignment."

The teen wrinkles his nose up in indignation at his old teachers words, but pushes it back to ask one of the things bothering him, "a-assignment?" His head spinning with all that is happening, how is all this connected?

"Yes, my assignment: you." The man says confidently and for just one moment Ryou remembers the antagonist telling the protagonist his evil plans just before executing him just so the good guy could escape just in time and save the world using that information, the humor in it turns bitter quick, because this isn't a movie and he isn't going to escape. "It is our duty to investigate odd movements and your move from England to Japan was quite sudden, it was a red flag in our system."

Dragon slayers sure aren't what are portrayed in the books, to Ryou they are elaborate cowards, kidnapping kids and killing humans.

"How ironic you became a tamer just after our separation; that was probably my fault." The man smirks as if just remembering a clever joke, "Considering our last…" He takes a moment to come up with the right word, "lesson."

_Lesson?_ The teen doesn't understand what his Japanese lessons had to do with- It hits him like a brick to the face, his heart shuddering and whole body clenching, he isn't talking about learning languages.

"Don't." the soft plea leaves Ryou's pale lips as if that could stop the already resurfacing memories, how could this man bring up that horrible thing and in front of these people, too? He doesn't want anyone to know; he doesn't even want to know, just wants to forget. That wasn't a lesson it was an attack: it was rape!

_Rape. _The thought makes him choke and he tries to reassure himself again that it wasn't rape, that he can still feel those wandering hands all over his body, wicked lips on his flesh, and invading fingers within him, but it wasn't rape, it was… molestation. If any food were in his stomach he would be sick, he can't breathe, he feels ill.

"You were such a fast learner," Pegasus continues casually, the teen numbly shakes his head, wishing he could cover his ears, "Moaning so sweetl-"

"Shut up!" Ryou snaps, his face bright red in shame and rage, whole body trembling in distress. "Pl-please stop," he doesn't want to think of that day, of the pain, of the pleasure, of the shame, of what would have happened if they weren't caught in the act.

The hand that has been holding his face for so long releases it and thinking it is so the older can hurt him again he squeezes his eyes shut to wait for the pain, but it never comes. He opens his eyes to see the cloaked man crossing his arms dignified before him with an almost pout on his face that looks just the opposite of dignified.

"You are right, there isn't time to reminisce over good times and scandals," Pegasus sighs in disappointment.

Scandal, that's the only truth that has come from this man when "reminiscing". Really Ryou wonders if maybe when he was caught under his teacher with his pants down and tears staining his cheek by the whole chest club if he should have stayed and defended himself instead of ran, or if he should have went to school the next day instead of hid in his apartment for a week, or if he should have called his father or the school board instead of tried to forget it, maybe if he had done it differently than the rumors spreading around school wouldn't have been about him selling himself but about his teacher being a child molester, instead of him being called a fag and being offered money like a tramp he would have been pitied like a victim, and instead of being expelled from the school for misconduct and his father seeing him as a disgrace Pegasus would be arrested and he would feel safe. He ran though and he hid in his apartment for a week and he didn't tell a soul, because he was betrayed, hurt, and scared.

Ryou hates this, hates this man standing before him reminding him of things he tried so hard to forget, it makes his chest throb painfully and his head swim, most of all it makes him feel defenseless as if he was once again naked under this man with nowhere to run and no one to help him, he doesn't know what's been holding the tears back for so long but it finally breaks and he is crying.

He flinches away from the hand that reaches up to wipe the tears away, sickened by their gentleness, but the hand follows.

"This visit isn't to talk about old times, I'm here because you have been a bad boy," Pegasus continues as if Ryou was just as calm and attentive as he had been while learning Japanese instead of breaking down before him, "Our rituals are quite strict and in those rituals the tamer must be nourished by only the blood of the dragon from a full goblet the beast can't touch for three days."

This sounds like a bad fantasy role-play; as if they are down in the basement playing Dungeons and Dragon where Pegasus takes his role of a dark sorcerer a little too serious, it's nearly enough to make Ryou laugh, yet every time his humor is shut down short when he reminds himself that this is actually reality... As ridicules and unbelievable this is it is happening to him. His laughter turns into a soft sob as he rubs his wet face against his clothed shoulder, taking deep breaths to try to calm himself of his sudden outburst, trying to listen.

"I'm here to make sure you give us no more trouble."

"I won't drink it," Ryou tells him, his voice surprisingly sturdy in his resistance.

Pegasus ignores him, instead turning to the other cloaked figures just standing there watching as if they were putting on a play for the assholes, "-let him down and bring him some food,-" Pegasus orders coolly, "-tomorrow give him the blood, if he refuses, if he spills one drop, beat the Kaiba child.-"

"What?" The stupid question falls from the pale teen's lips before he realizes the meaning of those words, he shakes his head, Mokuba has nothing to do with this, "You can't do that!"

"I _am_ doing that," His tormentor answers without turning back to look at him.

"He has nothing to do with this!"

"-Mr. Pegasus I-" even one of the cloaked figures sound uncertain about the demand, but Pegasus cuts him off coldly.

"-That was an order.-" Pegasus turns around to look at his old student one more time, cold eyes taking in every detail from the white hair that had accumulated filth to his expensive school shoes, then he walks out.

Ryou's legs buckle when he is released from the restraints but before he plummets to the ground he is caught by those around him, he is super aware of those hands steadying him, the ones on his hips and the ones on his chest and stomach, he tries to push them away- tries to get free of them, but the men do not leave him till he is sitting safely on the ground. He scoots as far away from the men as he can into a little corner and they just watch them with their black hole faces that show nothing of what they're thinking just like when he was being assaulted by Pegasus, it's unnerving not knowing what they are thinking, but it's so much better than actually knowing.

He is glad to be alone when they are gone, but he isn't, not really. Mokuba looks at him from his own cell and Ryou just knows that he was silently watching the whole time.

"If you drink the blood they are gonna kill you," the child says after a long moment of silence, Ryou flinches at the tone, as if the younger is giving him permission to use him, a brave front with nothing but fear behind it and Mokuba is much too young to talk like that now.

"Mokuba," He sighs, tiredly, before he forces himself up using the wall, he walks forward even though every step makes his beaten body shriek in pain and exhaustion, he walks on till he's as close as he can be to the teen with these bars and hall separating them and then he sinks down and with a smile that doesn't reach his eyes he tells the boy, "I won't let them hurt you."

…

Atem stretches out his human body, his spine doing a series on nearly sickening cracks, before he relaxes with a soft sigh from his nose, he then looks over at Bakura who is sitting against the wall not looking even a quarter of energized as he; he looks ill.

"-Will you be alright?-" It's not as Atem is worried, not that he would like to believe so anyways, but the silver is needed.

"-I'm fine-," The other dragon growls as if insulted the other would even ask, he forces himself to his feet even if his world spins at the action. The binding took a whole lot more time and energy than both of them had first imagined, they are just lucky that since Yugi was entering the contract willingly that the domain was small, a larger one would have been impossible. "-Finally, we should get to work.-"

"-I think you should rest a while-," Steely eyes go to glare at the senior citizen in the corner of the room, Yugi's grandfather thought it was best to watch over them as they worked as if he could do something if anything went wrong, Bakura snorts at the thought.

"-Listen, old man, resting isn't an option right now.-" He tells him, "-We are not really abundant in time.-"

"-As much as I hate to, I agree.-" Yami puts forward his two cents, before turning his attention to his small tamer," -Yugi you've done your part, you should stay inside until we return.-"

"-I want to go with you!-" The teen protests right away, his voice large for one so small.

"-It is too dangerous to take you with us-," Yami talks down to the boy as if he was explaining to a small child, "you will be safe here."

"-But I am your partner; I am supposed to be by your side!-" Yugi continues to protest, he isn't like other tamers, his bond with Yami was not forced but a contract made by all those willing before him and before the contracts came along his ancestors had all been partnered with Yami, the dragon is his partner by blood rights and as the Amethyst would fight and die for him, he would die for the dragon.

Yami goes to protest again, but is interrupted by Solomon.

"-Yugi is right-," Is all he says, though he himself doesn't look too pleased with the fact.

"-Grandpa!-" The boy exclaims happily, knowing he has won now.

"-Pathetic-," Bakura taunts when Yami just nods in resignation, "-centuries of being the human's pet has made you soft, but now that you are done wasting time we should go find that half breed.-"

"-I can't pick up his scent, probably something the hunters gave him, they won't want us to catch him if he's their hound-," The silver hardly holds his insult when the other dragon speaks the obvious, "-if he's not hiding out with the hunters he may be in one of his estates, we'll start with the closer ones and span out.-"

…

Ryou looks down at the red liquid with his nose wrinkled in disgust, he is grateful of the large meal and good sleep (as good as it gets on the floor) for it had given him the strength to tip his head back and chug the awful blood. He takes in a large breath when he finally removes the cup from his lips before swallowing multiple times in attempt to keep it down; when his stomach at last settles he looks down into the goblet to find it empty, he sighs in relief. He doesn't drink but if he did it would probably be very good at it, he hands the fancy cup back to the hunter, extremely conscious of the rough fingers that caress his own while it's passed over, he jerks his hand back as if burned, holding it close to his chest.

He wearily watches the other man leave the cell, tense until he walks out of the room completely. It's unnerving not knowing who exactly is handling, it could be any of the four men that abused him before or even a new person and he wouldn't really ever know, not without seeing their face, but that's still better than actually seeing them, he doesn't want to know where their eyes roam.

The teen looks across the dingy hall to Mokuba's cell, the boy sits facing the corner, white brows furrow at that. It was so nice speaking in his first language but that means the other understood his and Pegasus conversation which was bad enough but the boy was also put into the middle of something that didn't even involve him, again, Ryou wonders which of these things had made the other boy choose to ignore him.

"Mokuba," Even he thinks it's pathetic how he calls out for attention, but he can't help himself, the boy is the only thing separating him from the hell of his own thoughts. "Mokuba, I-I'm sorry."

"No, you're not!" Ryou is actually shocked by that heated voice that yells back at him, though the child doesn't turn to face him. "You don't care at all!"

"Mokuba I-" the pale tamer begins uncertainly only to be cut off.

"I'm not afraid of them!" Ryou can't see the boy's face but he can see small hands reaching up to wipe the tears away, a small sob heard," they can't kill me, I'm not afraid of pain."

"Mokuba," the older tries again, now more sure of what he did wrong and what to say, "I can't let them hurt you, this doesn't involve you."

"It does!" Mokuba pushes, "you're gonna die, Ryou."

It hurts twice as much hearing that from his young companion, not that he didn't know that, he thinks about it every unoccupied moment in this disgusting little cell, he is going to die. He is going to die and he is going to leave Mokuba here… alone.

"I'm sorry, Mokuba," Ryou repeats, "I'm so sorry, but I won't let them touch you. We will find another way, we'll get out of here." Another lie, such a sad excuse for a lie and they both know it because the white headed boy can hear his small companion sob only more enthusiastically at the words, but what else can he do?


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Sorry I'm late, it's getting harder and harder to keep up, lol. I read some of my other chapters and I really think I need a beta reader, just a lot of little spelling and grammar errors I keep accidentally missing also I notice that sometimes my sentences don't always make sense; if anyone is interested in being my Beta please PM me, I thought I would ask before searching through the Betas list.

To my always appreciated reviewers:

**Albino Shadowz -** I am not a big fan of Pegasus, but at the same time I am obsessed with him being the bad guy. He's just this sophisticated evil that you love to hate so I had to bring him back to torment my poor, little Ryou, because I'm evil. There are some happy scenes this chapter... and then more sad scenes.. One day everyone will be happy, one day. Thank you for reviewing, it always makes me smile :)

**ilovemanicures -** I'm glad my writing makes you happy because your reviews make me happy :) My holiday was pretty good and I hope yours was good. Sometimes I get real nervous with my presentation, especially when there is a lot of dialog so I'm glad you think it's well written and better yet in character (I really second guess myself there). There will be more of the Yuugi, Yami, and Bakura in this chapter, I believe what they are doing is just as important as what is happening to Ryou. I don't need a large fanbase, I'm just happy I have great supporters like you :) I hope you enjoy.

**nearcreature - **I know! Lets get together and lynch him! Gosh I'm violent.

**00Midnight00 -** Thank you, I'll try my best. You sound violent and like you hate Pegasus, want to join us lynching him?

**Do The Cool Whip -** I'm glad you liked it and sorry for the long wait.

**sierraphantom -** I know he is just the cutest! I wish my little brother was like him :( Also I love you profile pic, Kau is the best!

Silver Scales

"-Shit! We're not getting anywhere this way!-" Bakura yells, kicking a large rock with a growl. "-We've been all over this damn country and we're running out of time!-"

"-Be patient, we still have places to try,-" Atem tells him and the silver could have ripped out the condescending lizard's throat right there, this isn't something he can 'be patient' with, this is his host- no, that's wrong, his life.

"-If we didn't have to stay in these ridicules forms we could travel a lot quicker,-" He keeps his cool.

"-I told you, we can't exactly fly about freely.-"

"-I should have never come to you, you're just wasting my time,-" suddenly the two dragons are at each other's throats.

"-Guys, please! We have to save Ryou.-" Yugi tries to be the voice of reason, though really he doesn't want to stand in between the two males knowing they could very easily rip him apart. "-Please. Kaiba owns another vacation home on an island not too far from here, we just need a boat.-"

"-And if he's not there?-" Bakura leers at the small human instead of his dragon, the tamer shrinks back slightly.

"-H-He also has some in Europe and America,-" The boy admits deflated, unlike Kaiba they don't have a private jet to get around anywhere quickly, finding Kaiba could take months and that's if they don't somehow miss him.

"-Great! Fucking Perfect!-" The dragon storms off.

…

"E4 to F6," Ryou calls over to the other cell, after a lot of anger, ignoring, and tears the two started talking again. They realized in the thin dirt on the ground they could draw, so they drew and are currently playing long distance chest.

"B6 to F6!" Mokuba calls back excitedly as he knocks off the teen's bishop, Ryou moves one small stone to throw off another on his poorly drawn board. Only these two would know what's going on here- and even Ryou isn't positive he exactly knows… that could have really been a pawn, all these rocks look the same.

Their little game is interrupted by the door opening; artificial light filling the dim room for just a moment before the door is shut again and the dungeon is again faint. The teen stands, having to fix his pants that slightly slide down his hips at all the weight he lost; he waits close to the door wanting to get this over as quickly as possible. The hunter doesn't even enter the cell, Ryou grabbing and chugging the whole thing right at the cell door with attitude, he hands the cup back snidely. That's the second cup.

He goes back to his game as if nothing had happened, he will cry when Mokuba sleeps.

…

"-Do you smell that?-"

"-I don't smell shit-," Bakura growls, the dragon tries to mask his weakness with aggression but he doesn't fool Atem, he lies there on the sub without an ounce of care for those standing around him with his arms pillowed behind his head, eyes closed.

"-It's blood?-" The amethyst dragon tells him.

"-Blood?-" Yugi questions just a tad too loudly, people on the crowded cart staring.

"-So what?-" The silver pops up into a sitting position, opening his eyes to glare at the other dragon.

"-Smells like half blood,-" That gets Bakura's attention, he bolts up out of the seat, raising his head to sniff profusely till he obviously catches the scent, he smiles a wide, wicked smile and Atem feels he must stop him before he does something stupid. "There is a stop coming up soon."

As promised they stop just five minutes later and Bakura is the first one off, pushing humans carelessly to the side in his rush to catch the half breed.

"-Bakura, slow down!-" Yugi yells out to him as he and his dragon move much more carefully through the crowd.

"-Fuck off, twerp-," The excited beast calls back to him as he continues forward, if those two can't catch up than they are completely useless, he's dealt with useless a little too much these days and doesn't want to continue. When he climbs the stairs and finds himself above ground he can smell it so much better, the half breed is close, he takes off on foot.

Close isn't a block or two, it's a mile out of the big city and while Bakura initially thought he lost his two temporary companions he finds Atem coming up to match his speed, his tamer riding on his back like a champion jockey, it's almost enough to make Bakura laugh the small boy bouncing slightly at every step, he is in an exceptionally good mood at the moment.

Suddenly the dragons both stop, the silver lifting his head up to get a better scent, "It's coming from two different directions... and that's not all, another familiar scent."

"-It's stronger this direction-," Atem directs towards the left and they continue on, when they finally reach their destination, a small ally in a crappy little town, it's not the half breed they find.

"Marik," Bakura growls in disappointment, before turning and kicking the building they're behind, some of the bricks dislodge and fall, he hisses in pain.

"Heh," the blonde chuckles at the scene, though he's really in no position to laugh, he's leaning against the wall in bloody tatters, crimson gleaming off shiny golden scales, "not what you were hoping for?"

"Shut the fuck up!" blazing ruby eyes turn back to the injured dragon, even half dead the cocky bastard gets on his nerves. "So much for your getting out of town plan, let me guess; the hunters got your tamer."

"Yeah," Marik admits, "but I didn't let him go easy."

No, he must have given quiet a fight, the mix of his own blood and the half breeds a sure sign of the battle that went down.

"-We can track down the half breed, just follow the trail of blood-," Atem tries to reassure.

"-Until that trail ends, I doubt he's gonna bleed all the way to his safe haven,-" Bakura snaps back, his good mood left in a puff of smoke.

"I know where the half breed is," Marik says, grabbing every ones attention, "just let me rest for a moment."

"Shit! Don't fall asleep, fucker!" The silver shakes the gold dragon when those cold eyes close, the man doesn't budge, too tired from blood loss.

"-It will be getting late soon, we should all rest-," It's true that the sun is slowly starting to descend and as much as Bakura hates to give up he doesn't seem to have much of a choice, "-his wounds should be healed by the morning, we'll continue then.-"

…

Mokuba and Ryou are woken by a bright light and the shuffle of feet, there's voices and then the screeches of rusty hinges but neither one of their cells are entered, instead someone was thrown into a new cell. Both pairs of chocolate eyes watch the hunter walk out and the room to get dark again before they get up to investigate.

"-Hello?-" Mokuba calls, when there is no answer he again tries to call, this time in English, "Hello?"

The newcomer still doesn't answer so Ryou tries to get a look of him, with him in the cell right beside the other and some of the torches still lit – the hunters never extinguish them but when they do go out they sometimes relight them, the light flickers over tan skin and hair the color of the sun.

"Malik?" The boy flinches at his name being called, but he doesn't speak, he stares down at the ground with his hair hiding his face, "Malik, its ok."

Malik just lies down so Ryou feels he has no other choice but to leave him be for now and Mokuba seems to catch on to that as well, it is late and they are all tired, the other tamer must be especially.

…

For all his bitching and complaining about having no time to sleep Bakura is the first to pass out when they find a suitable place to rest, a small rice field where no one would disturb them, though he is also the first one up, nudging Marik with his foot.

Marik lets out a warning growl at the disturbance in his much needed sleep and rolls over on the hard ground.

"Get up," Bakura orders before all out kicking the blonde, in a second the gold dragon is up and in his face, though the silver doesn't look in the least intimidated, slit crimson and royal eyes meeting in a fierce battle of wills, waiting for the weaker of their species to back down.

"-You two stop it-," Atem grumbles, woken up by their fuss and sitting up, "-there's more important things to do than kill each other.-"

For a moment it looks like the Amethyst's words were going to go unheeded, but the blonde finally backs down, sticking his nose up arrogantly as he turns around in a huff. As Atem had predicted his wounds healed overnight, not leaving even a scratch to peak from under torn clothes, one of the many things that make it nearly impossible to kill a dragon, that and their scales that can stand against any manmade weapon to date.

While Atem attempts to wake Yugi, Bakura gets straight to the point with Marik, "Where is the half breed?"

"For someone so eager to know you think you would be a little more respectful to the one with the information," Marik sneers back, running his fingers through wild hair in attempt to tame it. "Why don't you ask me nicely?"

"The day I ask something from a whelp is the day I submit myself to the humans," While the two bicker like women on the rag about the last piece of chocolate, Atem gently tries to wake his still, miraculously, sleeping tamer.

"Nmmm," the teen whines is his sleep, scrunching his nose up in distress, though only his dreams are in jeopardy, before trying to push the hand away tiredly.

"-It is time to wake, Yugi.-" The boy just groans in protest trying to get away from the persistent hand shaking his shoulder, but finally he must submit and open his eyes. "-We'll be leaving soon,-" though the large eyes looking up at him are still clouded with sleep the teen nods in understanding.

"-You two-," Again Atem addresses both Bakura and Marik, "-You are both in danger so the sooner this is done the better,-"

"What the fuck is he saying?" Marik stops fighting with the silver to ask the question.

"You don't know?" Instead of that question coming out quizzical it comes out a little more condescending.

"I told you my Japanese is bad," the blonde snaps, back to glaring, "I can understand some of it."

"Hn," Bakura sticks up his nose, about to continue their little tiff but knowing it will get them nowhere, right now there's more pressing matters to deal with, "he wants to know where the half breed is."

The gold dragon looks to be not too trusting in the dragon's words, he responds anyways, "He's going to be at his company in Domino."

"Bull shit, we've already been there."

"He told me," Marik explains, "When he put his hand through my stomach he told me to meet him there, you must have missed him."

…

When the sound of the large door opening reaches Ryou's ears he instantly realizes he overslept, he scrambles up into a standing position. Looking over he notices Malik is already up and instead of one man entering there is two and he knows exactly why.

"Malik, don't drink the blood!" He warns before the hunters get to their cells, though the blonde seems to be ignoring him, "You can't drink what they give you!"

There is a twin screech one right after the other, from his own cage and the one that Malik resides in, though usually they feed Mokuba first, Ryou subconsciously moves away from the one that enters his cell.

Instead of worrying about himself the British boy worries more for the exotic male next door, he already knows he's doomed, but the other has hope – he can still fight, and yet he doesn't, against all warnings Malik takes the goblet as if casually taking a drink at a party and with the same quiet dignity he gulps down the blood. Ryou is just frozen in place, watching it happen with a clueless face.

"Why?" The question is so low that Malik couldn't possibly hear it; it just falls from bewildered lips.

He is sadly brought to his own demise when the hunter in his cell gets more persistent in handing him his last drink. The teen finds it extremely hard to reach out and grab the cold goblet full of sick, warm blood… His hands shake and his mouth goes dry, he doesn't know exactly what is going to happen after this, but he knows it will only lead to his death.

When finally he has it in his hands it feels heavy, he must hold it with both hands, and soft, brown eyes unconsciously roam over to his chibi friend, their eyes meet, Mokuba looking at him with concern yet not saying anything, so the teen gives him a sad smile that even he doesn't understand, it's not for reassurance or comfort, just a lame quirk of the lips before he tips the silver goblet against his mouth and drinks the vile liquid within.

He cannot find the will to chug it like he had the last two, this drink goes down slow, gulp by gulp thick on his tongue; Bakura's cooking comes to mind, but tries to push it away already having trouble, the smell is horrid and the taste is only slightly better, drinking bitter metal.

After taking in every last drop the cup is released, hitting the ground with a dull clang, and pink lips are stained red and panting while large chocolate eyes just stare at the man before him, waiting for pain, for death, for something… the man picks up the goblet and walks away.

Ryou just stands there for a moment, stiff and shaking before he falls to his knees, pressing the back of his hand to his lips to muffle a sob as tears blur his vision; a part of him was actually hoping that it would end, that all this waiting and panicking would just stop, yet they prolong his torture.

Quickly taking in a large breath the teen wipes at his eyes, he can't do this, as much as he wants to cry and scream he can't, not now… so instead he turns his distress towards Malik.

"I-I told you not to drink it!" He maybe says a little too aggressively, but he can't stop himself, "They are gonna kill you!"

Ryou freezes when he hears the gasp from Mokuba, those large eyes have never stopped looking over at him, the two have been tip-toing around the truth for days, he goes to comfort the younger until Malik finally speaks.

"Good." The word is loud and clear, leaving no room for anyone to make any mistakes on what he said.

"What?" Ryou turns his attention away from Mokuba to ask.

"I said, good," Malik stands and stretches, looking like he doesn't have a care in the world.

"Are you insane?" He didn't mean the words, yet they popped right out.

"Don't judge me!" the blonde retorts angrily, "You've been a tamer for how long? A few weeks? You don't know anything!"

The pale teen skitters back when the tanned one approaches the bars separating them, getting more worked up by the moment.

"I have been a tamer for three years now and I will do anything to kill that dragon, even if it's killing myself." Those fiery lilac eyes bore into the other tamer, as if waiting for a battle, a protest, yet Ryou doesn't give him one, because Malik is right. He had only been a tamer for a short while and that was nearly enough to break him, he has no right to judge the Egyptian.

"I-I'm sorry," he steps up closer to the bars which he just recently ran away from to escape the other boy's wrath, "I was being… inconsiderate… and ignorant."

Malik goes to walk away and sit in his little corner, but Ryou stops him.

"W-Wait," he pleads and the other teen pauses in his step, "I'm Ryou," even though Malik already knows that he doesn't say anything, "And that's Mokuba," he points over to the younger boy, "Umm…"

"We're stuck here together so we might as well get along," Mokuba pipes up when Ryou's words fail him, though it isn't exactly what he was looking to say it got the basic message across.

The tan teen is silent for a moment so Ryou is sure they are going to be rejected, then a moment later Malik lets out a word, "sure."

…

"If he isn't here I'm going to rip out your spine," Bakura threatens looking up at the overly large building, the biggest in the city, he's a bit testy from all the bullet train rides. "Then I will beat you to death with it."

"Meaningless threats, old man," Marik brushes him off easily while Yugi and Yami only watch tiredly, now used to the two's constant bickering, they haven't stopped since this morning.

Surprisingly they walk in without any problems, no security guard in sight, and then even more shocking is that there is no receptionist… or anyone else for that matter. The whole first floor is completely deserted.

"Well this is dramatic," Marik whistles, the sound echoing in the large, cold space.

"I suppose he will be on the top floor," Yugi pipes up, looking at the elevator in the distance, "if any of the movies I watched are accurate."

With no better ideas they head to the elevator. The ride up is extremely uncomfortable, silent, cramped, and long, too long… How tall is this building? The tallest one in the city.

_'Ping.'_ Finally the damn thing opens. Empty, just like the lobby. The whole damn building is empty, but they don't need anyone to direct them, even if they couldn't smell the half breed there is only one place he could be, beyond those impeding doors just behind the an empty secretary desk.

Inside the large office stands Kaiba in all his dramatic glory, back to the dragons he knows are there to instead stare out at the city below through a ridiculously large window.

"You have some nerve to help those bastards and then call on us," Bakura is on him quick as lightning, claws and teeth bared as he holds back from ripping the half-breed's throat out.

"Yes, well I don't remember calling on you," the brunette answers coolly, not even bothering to turn his stare from the dark city below. That was a mistake.

The CEO hits the glass with a sickening thud, the glass around him cracking under the force and continued pressure that Barkura puts on his throat, having turned him to finally face everyone before pinning him. Still the brunette's face is the definition of calm and cool, blue eyes piercing like ice.

"Do you think killing me will help you achieve anything?"

"It'll make me feel better."

"-Bakura stop!-" Yami finally interrupts, grabbing the arm that was about to plunge into the half-breed's chest. "-We should at least hear him out, he might be the only one who knows where your tamer is.-"

The silver does refrain from killing him, but he doesn't release the other.

"-Why would he help us?-" Claws dig into the CEO's slender throat, drawing blood and it continues to infuriate the pale dragon that the brunett's face continues to remain stoic.

"-Because it would be benifactual for all parties, they also have something of mine.-" Kaiba answers, "-what is none of your business.-"

"-It's your brother-," Yugi pipes up, still on the other side of the room, and finally does that cold expression change, turning into an almost snarl as information he obviously doesn't want shared is put out there, "-it was on the news that he went missing.-"

"-There's no other half breeds around here,-" Bakura interjects.

"-It's not biological, he's human,-" Kaiba explains.

Finally Bakura releases the tall male with a laugh and he just keeps laughing, "you became a dog for a human?"

"How far are you going for a human?" the half breed questions

"It's not the human, it's my life." Bakura snarls, all serious again.

"I don't care about your reasons, I'm more interested in how you are going to help us," Marik finally says something just before everyone forgets he's even there, "do you know where our tamers are?"

"Yes, I do," Kaiba smirks, "we just have to wait for the right moment to strike."

….

"He's a good kid," Malik says when the youngest of their group finally doses off, half way in a sentence about his favorite anime.

"Yeah, he really is," Bakura agrees, thinking sadly how they sound much too old at this moment, much too old and much to tired to be in their teens, but that's what the dragon's do to you and the hunters, "don't take this the wrong way, but I'm glad you're here."

"Is there a right way to take it," thankfully it's playful.

"Maybe not, I just.. I don't know what's gonna happen to me, I'm glad someone is going to be here for Mokuba," Ryou answers seriously, back to back with the one he talks to and glad of that so he can't see him if he cries. "Even if it's only for a few more days."

Malik lets out an exagerated sigh and for a moment the little englishman thinks that the other teen is mad at him, until he speaks, "You've done good staying with him this long, I can't stay as long as you had."

"Yeah," the smaller answers back sadly, he understands that Malik isn't going to fight them and he can understand why, living with a dragon so long couldn't have been easy. He knew he should have just left it like that, should have accepted things and went to sleep, but curiosity nags at the back of his might and after lots of silent contemplation he finally asks, "How did you get here?"

"I was kidnapped, same as you."

"No," Ryou corrects, "I mean how did all this happen to you? How did you become a tamer?"

"It's a long story."

"Are you going somewhere?"

"No," a soft, maybe sarcastic, chuckle follows, "I guess not"

It grows silent for a long time, a very long time, but just as Ryou is about to tell the boy he doesn't have to Malik begins.

"Well," he starts his story, a little sad, a little hesitant, a lot serious, "I'm sure it's nothing like how you became one, you were probably just at the wrong place at the wrong time?"

He asks but he doesn't give Ryou time to answer because he already knows it's true.

"While most humans think Dragons are fairytales I was raised in a place where they are considered gods, from the beginning I was chosen to be a tamer and where I am from that is a honor, I didn't understand back then that we were just slaves to them and what would happen to me… not that it matters, I couldn't refuse; my mother refused and she was killed."

"I-I'm sorry, Malik," Ryou wants to tell him that he can understand, that he has also lost his mother and his sister also, but this isn't that time.

"It's fine, it was our ways," Malik responds sadly, "If there is one good thing that Marik had done it was take me away from that place, if it wasn't for him I wouldn't have seen the sun."

There was a long pause with the other teen just not knowing what to say to the other, till he speaks again.

"And he got my revenge, he killed my father who had killed my mother and done this to me." There is a chuckle, a sad almost crazed chuckle, "that's not right is it? I shouldn't be happy that my father is dead, but I am. I'm glad he killed him and I was so glad when Marik took me out of the dark, back then I really thought he must have been a god, but I learned later that he is a demon."

"I'm sorry," It's stupid but that's all the boy knows how to say, he doesn't know what to do to comfort the other and he knows it's his fault that the other has to relive it.

"Don't be sorry, I'm gonna kill him." Malik sounds sickly happy at the thought, "Marik is still a young dragon, I was his first tamer and I will be the last, I will kill him for what he has done to me."

"Even if it means your life?"

"Yes, even if it means my life." The blonde assured. "Go to sleep now, tomorrow might be a long day."

Ryou heeds his word, who knows what is going to happen to him tomorrow, he hopes he can be brave like Malik...

* * *

><p>This chapter is a bit jumpy, I don't like jumpy but I really thought it was important to get everyone's story in. Talking about everyone ones story, I'm not a big MarikMalik fan, but I was thinking of doing a short spin-off on their story or even all the side characters, thoughts?


	16. Chapter Sixteen

This chapter is partly late because of my new job, but mainly late because I just couldn't shape it the way I really wanted to, I have a visual in my head that I just can't put into words- long story short this chapter is half of what it is supposed to be so the story doesn't really move here which makes me sad, but I just couldn't make y'all wait any longer, so I hope this is something to keep your hopes up and know that I'm not deserting you.

No Beta either :(

To my always awesome reviewers:

**00Midnight00** - Well I hope that the last chapter didn't disappoint after you were so nice to review beforehand, your appreciation makes me smile. :) Sorry you had to wait so long for an update :(

**Silver-Haired-Thief **- Happy belated birthday! I like bickering, it's fun to write and read :) Good? I don't know if there is a good in this story, lol, maybe evil and less evil or more like everyone does what they think is right/normal but it's all screwed up anyways. Sorry that I took so long to update :(

**ilovemanicures **- I think after I'm done with this story that I will make a one-shot or maybe a two-shot story of those two, it will bring a lot of insight in on the dragons as well as explain why those two are how they are. Don't worry about the Beta thing, if I find one or I don't I'll still work on the story, I just go back to read and find some mistakes that drive me crazy from time to time, lol. Thank you for the review, sorry it took so long to update.

**neko-chan **- Sorry it took so long.

Silver Scales

"Ah!" Ryou cries out in shock and fear when he is pulled from the ground by his arm, barely awake from the screaming hinges from moments ago, barely registering that he is being pulled out of his cell. When he does finally realize what is happening he struggles, pulling and scratching like a wild animal cornered, afraid.

"-Let him go!-" Mokuba orders, woken up by his friend's shout. "-Leave him alone!-" Small hands easily slip between the bars to grasp at any loose clothes he can reach.

Having trouble the hunter signals his buddy at the door, the other brute comes over to disentangle the robe from the child's hands, none to gently.

"-Don't touch him!-" Ryou snaps his teeth threateningly at the man that dare touches the boy, the only thing he can do with his hands now both captured. "-Don't you dare touch him, bastard!-"

Despite all the threats, insults, and struggles the teen is dragged out, it had not originally been his intention to fight his destiny like so, but fear had grasped at his heart and he could not help to follow it's whim to flee. Malik just watches with a sad expression.

Forced down hallway through hallway in this large maze of a place Ryou's panic only increases, the first time they had him blindfolded, this time they don't care if he sees, it only means one thing. The thing he's been anticipating and fearing is at last going to happen.. he's going to die... Or they are just continuing to fuck with his emotions, he just doesn't know anymore.

He tries to keep calm, stops struggling because it's doing nothing but making it hard to breath, looks around just in case there is a chance, a slip up to give him just a small chance, he has to keep a leveled head for that opportunity.

With his mind _mostly_ cleared he realizes that it's still cold, just a bit warmer than down stairs, but the stone is still freezing under his bare feet(like he was going to keep his shoes on during his whole captivity) and instead of lights there is more torches illuminating the dark, windowless halls: no electricity?

"-Where are we going?-" Ryou asks knowing that it's unlikely for him to actually get an answer, yet what does it hurt to ask? Pegasus had said- he shudders at the thought; Pegasus said that the men were "enthralled" with him or at least his looks, maybe he could use that to his advantage. That thought doesn't make him feel any better, just makes his empty stomach twist in disgust.

Like he thought, he isn't answered just dragged along, his arm starting to ache from the strain put on it.

"-I- -" the teen starts, but fails, his first try at seducing the man- his face flushed red with shame as he avoids the other's black hole face, still he takes a deep shuddered breath, "-I-if you let me go I w-will.. I'll- -" I'll what? He can't think of one thing to do or at the very least say to convince the man. "-Please let m-me go.-"

Surprisingly the man stops, instead of giving Ryou hope it has the opposite effect, immediately thinking that he is going to be hit, he uselessly jerks at his arm and uses the other to cover his face.

"-What ar- -" The man behind them, the one who had been following them the whole time and the captive had nearly forgotten about, starts but is silenced by a hand being held up in a motion of silence.

"-What will you do?-" Suddenly that face is too close, enough to make out subtle shapes in the looming darkness of the hood and to allow the man's, surprisingly not bad, hot breath caress his cold cheek (because bad guys are always supposed to have bad breath and be ugly, it's only fair that way).

Anything. That's what Ryou wants to say, yet he can't, whether it be mental or physical he just can't get it past his lips. It will probably be his only chance, and just a small one at that, his body or his life, but he can't do it. The stress of it is enough to make him cry, large tears blurring his vision as he just tries to push the single word past trembling lips, but his tongue feels too big, his throat to dry, and overall his mind screams that it just isn't worth it.. as much as he wants to live it's not a life worth degrading himself over, not if he is just going to go back to being the dragon's slave or to be hunted like a rat the rest of his life, soon this unnatural will to flee at all cost will fade as it had time and time again when he was earlier tested, so instead of speaking, he just shakes his head with an almost inaudible sob, tears now streaking down pale cheeks.

A part or the young Britain wishes he could see that man's face, another part is glad he can't, as they continue on there was as if it never happened, other than Ryou's tears.

"-I wish you would be more serious, you could get us in trouble-" The follower grumbles after a while.

"-Did you think I would actually let him go? It was all in good fun-" Those words sting their poor captive, it was not fun for him,"-besides, I don't want to be told that by someone like you, you may have been officially enunciated but you are still new and not trusted.-"

The rest of the walk is begrudgingly silent, Ryou dragged around ashamed and the man following them quiet with rage.

What they arrive at isn't what the captive expected, yet he can't tell what he expected, shit is all twisted. Where they are is a bathroom… kinda, it's a room with a tub, the rest of the room is unnaturally bear, large but not overly large with natural light coming from some extraordinary, intricate windows on the far side that shows a bit of nature that the boy had almost forgotten about.

He was so into inspecting the room that he doesn't think to wonder why they are here, not until it's too late-

"-Strip.-"

"Wh-what?!" Ryou jerks away and, to his surprise, the big man lets him, "-what?-"

"-You stink,-" coming from who it's coming from it shouldn't hurt as much as it does, though he's sure it's true, how long had he gone without showering? There was no bathroom down there, they had to go on the ground, it's so bad that he can't even tell anymore, he can't even smell the horrid stench coming from himself. "-You have to bathe.-"

A bath sounds good, sounds amazing-

"-No-" He tells the man, he won't do it with both of them there, watching him. "-L-leave first-."

"-We can do this the easy way or the hard way-" Ryou nearly flinches as the cliché' villain quote, "-but it's going to happen-."

The angry, humiliated part of him demands he fights and yet the more cautious, hurt part of him pleads he give in, he listens to that pathetic part of himself because as much as he rather struggle and hopefully tear into someone's juggler with teeth he more doesn't want the other to touch him, to strip him bear and touch his naked skin.

He will submit but he will not give these perverts a show, he storms over to the very edge of the tub before practically ripping the clothes from his body, most of them falling apart in the process and hopping in the tub before they can leer at his nude body… he regrets it, hardly able to hold in a yelp as he submerges in the freezing water, his skin instantly raised up with goose bumps and shivering in some attempt of warmth.

He can hear the men laugh at his pitiful display, he is not amused, instead of trying to get an insult passed chattering teeth or sparing them a dirty look he instead glares down at the water, the source of his new found misery.

Because he isn't looking is shocked at the downpour of water on his head, jolting and almost following his first instinct to flee but then he realizes the water is blessedly warm so he sits still, closing his eyes, letting it soak his hair and warm his cold nose and cheeks as it rolls over his face.

"-My treat, we don't have things like running water here,-" Ryou hears when the steady stream stops, then he jumps when a loud bang resounds in the room, as skittish as a rabbit these days, he looks over the edge to see a dropped bucket. "-Here, use this,-" something is thrown in the tub making a small splash, fishing it out, it's a bar of soap.

"-Th-thanks.-" The teen mumbles begrudgingly, how odd to thank one of your captors and yet it would be too rude not to, right? Maybe not, do they have a captive's etiquette?

The warm water had mixed with the cold and made it bearable, making the task at hand much easier, though he doesn't understand it… Why exactly is he bathing?

Soap and insistent fingers scrub at stubborn filth because there is no wash cloth, while he works on his body his mind can't stop pondering the reason for doing so, it would be an odd thing to make someone wash before finally killing them – so they aren't going to kill him.

His gut clenches and the soap falls from his hand, this isn't the end.

He doesn't want to die, never wanted to really die, but he more doesn't want to be put through what they are planning- whatever these people are planning.

He looks over at the two men who just look back, he could refuse, he could fight, he could- only make it worse. There is nothing to do in this situation, as if not bathing would do him any good, they could easily pin him down and do it themselves and that is a much worse option; he is weak, tired, and half starved. There is no refusing, no fighting, no struggle, there is no way out of this but to go forward and hope for the best, what is the best now? Death?

He could be sad or scared, but he's more angry, because this shit just keeps happening to him; everything keeps happening to him. He fishes the soap out and viciously scrubs off the dirt and grime from his body and the best he can from his hair while his mind is on all the injustices, really from a collected hell of what Bakura had done to him, these guys have done to him, and life done to him, what could happen next that's worse? When he is done the water is blacker than he could have ever imagined, never knew he was that dirty, but it feels amazing to be this clean, to be clean again and have a new resolve to help him push through whatever is next.

"-Clothes?-" Ryou questions, wondering if they will be provided or if he will be forced into the worn ones he wore in, he sneers at the rag that might be considered a throw blanket to the homeless, but really it's an oversized rag and even if it wasn't, it isn't clothes. Fuck it. Let him die in the nude… or whatever.

Spitefully he tries to make the largest mess he can when he steps out of the tub, wrapping the course fabric around him for modesty but not drying himself much preferring to drip on the floor and shaking his hair out so water droplets splatter all across the room. When he looks up at the hunters they don't seem amused but seem equally uncaring, if this was any other situation he might have pouted at the lack of response.

"-Clothes?-" He asks with a little more attitude than before, what are they gonna do about it? He doesn't take into account that there is no clothes in sight – maybe they will appear in thin air like that bucket of hot water.

"-You won't be needing any,-" the main guy tells him, main guy because he does most of the talking, Ryou could huff and puff about this but instead he just wraps the towel tighter around his shoulders and deals with it.

"-Ok,-" he tells them, gathering all his courage, "-then, I guess, I'm ready.-"

There isn't much said after that, they walk almost silently other then the sound of feet hitting hard stone and the occasional plop of water from the teen's hair bursting on the hard surface when it escapes his hair; it's not till they stop before large ornate doors does Ryou finally speak…

"-When I die,-" he tells his escorts in a heavy tone, "-I will haunt you.-"

They do not laugh, they do not comment, or insult, instead, while going past the small teenager to open the doors, one of the hunters momentarily places a heavy hand on his head as if to tell the troubled boy he understands; that is so much worse because it reminds him of the guy who was half way decent to him while bringing him here and the gift of warm water in the bath – those things make it seem like these guys actually have a heart, as small and black as it is, it is still a heart and that is unacceptable. It's not right. Tears silently slip down his cheeks; it would have been so much easier if they were just cruel, just black hole faced demons with no hearts.

There is no time to be distressed, not when those doors open because disbelief replaces it, he's seen this before – in bad horror movies, stupid teenagers into occult trying to summon a demon in the basement, but he doesn't see any chickens around.

...

Again half of what it's supposed to be, well about half, but this half I'm pretty happy with, other half needs a lot of work so I will try to get things moving as soon as possible.

Wow! I just realized this is the sixteenth chapter, never knew it was going to be that long! :)


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